


A Life Entwined

by The_Last_Greninja



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Slight Canon Rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-07-11 06:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15966194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Last_Greninja/pseuds/The_Last_Greninja
Summary: He became the Driver of the Aegis, and his world suddenly turned upside down. A series of loosely interconnected one-shots focusing primarily on Rex and Pyra's growing relationship through the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Will diverge very slightly from the canon story.





	1. By the Campfire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wolffaegisboiii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolffaegisboiii/gifts), [telethiastar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/telethiastar/gifts), [tbat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbat/gifts).



Chapter 1- By the Campfire

  
It had been one hectic day for Rex and the gang. Having narrowly escaped the Flamebringer herself, the crew had stopped to catch their breaths at the Travelers Resting Tree.

  
"I don't think they're following us," Pyra sighed in relief.

  
"Perhaps we're safe for now," Gramps added.

  
Rex stopped momentarily to catch his breath. "You're right. We should get some rest. I can't go any further."

  
"Tora is pooped as well. Now is good time to rest Rex-Rex," their new Nopon friend said, before letting out a massive yawn.

  
"Right then, let's set up ca-"

  
"See you later," Nia interrupted.

  
"Wha-? Nia, hold on for a second! Listen…I…have to go to Elysium. I made a promise. I'm taking Pyra there. It's just that she…gave half of her life to save mine. I owe her."

  
Pyra smiled fondly at her Driver. "Rex…"

  
"If today's events showed us anything, it's that the whole world is after her. The titans are dying, and living space is running out. That's gonna start wars, and people need weapons to fight wars. But if I can prove that Elysium exists, maybe I can stop the war that's coming. But fighting Morag taught me something. I'm not ready. I can't do this alone. Nia, you're a driver. We could really use someone like you…that is…if you wanted."

  
Nia stood silently, her back turned, as if in contemplation. "Kid, look. Elysium…it's just a myth. A legend told to young children. Do you really think it exists?"

  
"Pyra said she was born there. And here she is. That should be proof it exists, right?" He said, hoping that this would persuade her.

  
"Rex…you really act just a naïve little kid. On top of that, your logic is almost as good as that Dughall's. What if Pyra's lying? What if one day she turns round and stabs you in the back?" Nia retorted, unconvinced.

  
"Pyra would never do that! She would die if she did. If one of us is killed, the other will die, remember?"

  
"Ah…that's right. Now I remember." Nia thought for a moment. She glanced at Dromarch; her companion nodded. As far as he was concerned, he did not mind if they joined or not. His duty was to protect her. "All right. I'm convinced. This could be an interesting ride."

  
"Really?!"

  
"An endless field of green among the clouds, eh? If the legends are true, even people like me…"

* * *

 

A few minutes later, and the group had settled down by a small but bright campfire. Tora and Poppi had already fallen asleep, and Nia was beginning to doze off against Dromarch's furry coat, leaving Rex and Pyra alone to themselves. The former used this opportunity to help her companion with the wounds he had gotten from their most recent encounter. The cuts weren't bad, and with a little help from a concoction Nia had given her, Pyra was able to patch him up with no difficulties. Well, maybe a little.

  
"Ouch!"

  
Rex's sudden movement caused Pyra to jerk her hands back in surprise. "Ah, I'm sorry. Did I wrap it too tightly?"

  
Rex smiled through grit teeth. "No, no. It's fine! I'm fine! See?" He swung his bandaged arm around to prove his point, but unfortunately, his arm disagreed. Across from him, Nia chuckled.

  
"Owowow! Ugh!" Rex winced in pain.

  
Pyra gave him a sympathetic smile. "I knew it."

  
After giving his arm a moment to rest, Rex looked up at her. "Thanks Pyra. I feel a lot better now."

  
"I'm sure it's just Nia's poultice," she said, glancing at her drowsy friend. "Thanks!"

  
The Gormotti girl's eyes lazily opened, a toothy grin on her face.  
Rex smiled. Looking next to him, he noticed that Pyra still had some open wounds. The fiery haired blade, oblivious to Rex's gaze, busied herself by wrapping a bandage around her own arm. "Pyra, you're hurt too? Are you OK?"

  
"I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

  
"Well, we should still patch it up. Here, let me help."

  
Pyra barely registered his comment before she felt his hands carefully take her injured arm into his lap. He wrapped the bandage gingerly, remembering to be careful with her. Pyra watched him silently. The boy next to her was too preoccupied with the task at hand to notice the gentle smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, Rex."

  
Rex continued with his work, wrapping up the end of the bandage. "No worries. Least I can do," he replied as he released her arm. "There, all done! How's that?"

  
Pyra looked her bandaged arm over, checking Rex's handiwork. "Looks good."

  
A peaceful silence befell the two of them. Nia had fallen asleep and was now splayed across Dromarch's back. Her blade didn't seem to mind however; his slumber was uninterrupted by the girl sleeping on top of him. Tora snored lightly, using Poppi as some sort of cushion. From where he was sitting, Rex could see a small line of drool escape the Nopon's mouth. And then there was Gramps, curled up inside Rex's helmet. For all the complaining he did about it, he seemed pretty comfortable at the moment.  
Pyra was the one to break the silence. "Um…Rex?" Rex looked up to see Pyra scooting closer to him. His eyes widening slightly, and he sucked in his breath. What was she trying to do? What should he do? He looked at her, trying to gauge her intentions. But instead of that, he found himself staring at her face. She looked adorable to him. Her facial features were very much perfect, from her cute nose to her gentle smile, to her pink lips. Rex could feel the blush creep over his face. Pyra however, unaware of what the boy was thinking, stretched out her arm and held it next to his own.

"Look. They're the same."

  
Rex snapped out of it and tried to push away his previous thoughts. "O-oh, uh yeah. I-I…guess they do."

  
Pyra laughed lightly at his fumbling, earning her a blush from the panicked boy.  
The fire continued to burn brightly, its flames lighting up the night sky. Both of them looked up in admiration. "It's so beautiful," Pyra sighed.

  
"Yeah. It really is." But that's probably because you made it, Pyra.

  
"W-what?"

  
_Titan's foot!_ Did he really say that out loud? "U-um no! What? I-I didn't mean it like that?" he said hurriedly, unable to stop the blush on his face. "You're just, erm, really good at making fires…yeah that's all. Making fires, yeah?" It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself at this point. The salvager looked away in embarrassment. Pyra stared at him in confusion.

  
"Well…It's what I do," she said as she clicked her fingers and summoned a small flame into her palm. Rex turned around and looked in childish wonder as the girl next to him gently blew it out. The flame dispersed into many small embers, creating a small, but beautiful light-show in the process.

  
"Rex?"

  
"Hmm?"

  
"What Morag told you earlier…it was all true, but…still you chose to fight by me. Why?"

  
Rex was taken aback. He had almost forgotten what the Special Inquisitor had said regarding the Aegis War. But three titans? Was it really possible? Nevertheless, it was his duty as an Aegis Driver to keep her out of the hands of the power-hungry.

  
"I couldn't let her get you. I have to keep you safe. I promised you, remember? I'm gonna get you to Elysium, and no one's gonna stop us," he smiled.

  
"Morag was just one of many obstacles that lie in our path. I…don't want to put you in harm's way. If anything were to- "

  
Rex cut her off. "I knew what I was getting into the moment I told you I would get us to Elysium. Don't worry about me so much. I can handle myself, you know? I've just gotta get stronger. Strong enough to protect you. Today taught me that I still have a long way to go, but I promise you that I'll work my hardest to become the Driver worthy of an Aegis."

  
Pyra smiled softly. She scooted a bit closer to the boy next to her and gently rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Rex." Rex froze. His heart stopped for a second, and his whole body tensed. "N-no problem," he stuttered.

  
The two of them remained in a peaceful silence for a few minutes. Pyra had begun to doze off on Rex's shoulder, and Rex, well, was being Rex- ever hesitant to take the initiative. He contemplated returning her affection briefly, but he concluded that it would result in a slap to the face. So he didn't try it; at least, for a moment. But she's leaning her head on your shoulder. Would she really mind if you did the same? Maybe just this once, he would throw caution to the wind. Tentatively, Rex leaned his head on hers and wrapped an arm around her waist. Pyra was caught off guard and gasped in surprise, causing Rex to immediately withdraw his arm, but she caught it and moved it back around her. "U-um, Pyra?"

  
The fiery haired blade closed her eyes and relaxed. "S-sorry about that," she mumbled in embarrassment. She allowed herself to lean her body against him, relaxing into the comfortable embrace.  
Rex's eyelids felt heavy; he was suddenly aware of how late it was. If they wanted a good head start in the morning, they would have to get some sleep; both of them knew this. Still, neither of them was content with letting go of the other. Rex let out a yawn. Maybe it was time for bed. Reluctantly, he lifted his head off of Pyra's, turning to look at the girl beside him. To his surprise, she had already fallen asleep, a content smile etched on her face. Rex smiled. Even when she was asleep, she still managed to be adorable. Carefully he laid her down into a more comfortable sleeping position. Then, he located a spot on the ground for himself and settled down for the night.

  
"Night, Pyra," He whispered.


	2. Consolation

Chapter 2- Consolation

Pyra was worried. For several reasons. For one, Rex was locked up in his room; she feared as much. From the moment they had returned from Vandham's funeral, she could sense that something was off about him. Whether it was because of their bond, or because she had been around him for some time by now she did not know, but she couldn't help but think that this was partly due to her. After all, it was her blind obedience to Malos' demands that had inadvertently caused Vandham's death, and Mythra had been quite harsh with him at the funeral. After her sister had finished giving him a piece of her mind, she swapped immediately, leaving Pyra to deal with damage control alone. Maybe that had caused Rex's sudden desire to be alone. She would have to apologize when she had the chance.

Her chance came rather quickly. Rex's door opened, and a frustrated Gramps huffed out of his room. "That boy is hopeless. He thinks he'll always be able to save everyone. Maybe you can talk some sense into him," he muttered as he passed Pyra. What was that all about? Cautiously, she peeked her head into the room. Rex was staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought. _He wouldn't mind, would he?_  Pyra quietly entered the room and approached him. Rex turned around to see his fiery haired Blade, her hands clasped together in front of him. "Hey, Pyra." Deciding that talking about Vandham would be too sensitive a topic to discuss at the moment, Pyra concluded that apologizing for her sister would be the best course of action.

"Rex... I'm very sorry about Mythra. She didn't mean all that." She watched as Rex's eyes shifted their focus to the room's floor. "You have to understand, she came out because she wanted to protect you. She does care about you. She just has an…odd way of showing it." Rex returned her gaze for a brief moment, then turned back to face the window, ashamed.

"Don't worry about it. She was right. I did refuse to run. I did put everyone in danger. This was all my fault," he said quietly.

"Rex…"

"I've gotten over it though. There's no need to worry. I'm just glad…"

"Huh?" This certainly was unexpected. He could still be optimistic after all that had happened? Rex turned around, a faint smile forming on his face. "That you've finally managed to open up a little! Also, thank you! For protecting us, I mean. If Mythra didn't step in when she did, I doubt we would have made it out alive."

Pyra looked away. She was the one who caused all of this! It was Vandham who had protected them, even giving his life to save them. "Protecting? Me?" "Your powers kept protected us when we were beaten. You defeated both Malos and Ahkos by yourself! It was incredible!"

"I'm sorry…I…"

"You apologize a lot, you know that? I guess…you still feel guilty about the hiding the true nature of the Aegis from us, right? But I…don't want you to have to apologize any more. I hope I can help you move past that…No…I know I can!"

"Rex…I…" Rex continued to speak, unaware that a single tear had slipped down the Aegis's cheek.

"A good Driver always protects his Blade... That's what Vandham said. I…I won't let his sacrifice go to waste. He told me to fight my war, and I will. I'm gonna become stronger. For both our sakes. As of now, it's always been you who's protected me, but I promise to become the kind of Driver who can protect you in turn."

Pyra glanced up at her Driver and smiled sadly. "Rex…" Here he was, vowing to protect her, a girl who had caused him nothing but pain. She did not deserve to be his Blade, with all the troubles she had put him through. But he still cared for her, and instead of blaming her, he blamed himself.

"H-huh? Pyra?" Rex exclaimed. In an instant, the Aegis had wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight in a warm embrace, her head buried in his chest.

"I haven't protected anyone. If anyone did, it was Vandham. He…He died protecting us. And it was because of my reckless actions. I thought I was sparing you the trouble, going to deal with Torna on my own. I didn't want to get you harmed, but in the end…I..." By now, she was unable to stop the tears from flowing. "All I've done is cause trouble for you."

The salvager went silent for a moment, contemplating his next move. Actions speak louder than words, he thought. Slowly, he brought his arms around her, pulling her close. "Pyra…were you even listening?" he asked gently. "What matters the most is that he saved all our lives. I don't think he'd want you to blame yourself for what happened. Just…next time, know that we're all here for you. You don't have to do it alone."

"Rex…I—thank you…" she sniffed. The two remained in their comfortable embrace for what felt like an eternity. Pyra had since stopped her crying, but the comfort Rex's hug gave her was enough for her to stay put. Her growing feelings for him may have had something to do with it, but she decided that now was not the time to bring it up. Making things awkward between them was the last thing she wanted. Rex had taken to rubbing her back soothingly, noting her positive reaction to it. After a while, Pyra lifted her head and noticed a slight wetness on Rex's shirt, courtesy of her previous tears. "Sorry about your shirt," she mumbled.

"Did I mention that you apologize a lot?" Rex chuckled. His stomach wanted to join in the conversation apparently, and it let out a low growl. "By the way, um…what's for dinner?" He asked sheepishly. Pyra smiled and let go of him.

"How does Meatball Pot-au-Feu sound?"

"Delicious! Mm, I can't wait!" His response caused her to giggle lightly. Taking notice of this, Rex decided to poke a bit more fun at her, now that she was feeling a bit better. "I guess I passed the trial, didn't I?" he asked, grinning.

Pyra smiled. "Thank you, Rex." "No worries. All right, I promised to help Tora tune up Poppi. She took quite the beating back when we were fighting yesterday. I'll see you at dinner?"

Pyra nodded. She watched as he disappeared down the hallway.

_(He doesn't seem half-bad after all.)_

"Mythra…Rex is a kind person. He may be naïve, but his heart is pure," she replied, slightly aggravated at what her sister pulled at the funeral.

_(Oh? Getting defensive, aren't we? Does someone have a little crush?)_

Pyra could feel her sister smirk as the words left her mouth. She huffed. "You don't have to be like that, you know. But thank you. For keeping him safe, I mean."

_(Don't mention it. We need him alive anyway. It's not like you gave him half your core crystal or anything.)_

"Don't act as if you weren't opposed to it!"

_(I kid, I kid. Rex is a good guy from what I can tell, and you've taken a liking to him. That's enough reason to protect him.)_

Pyra blushed. "Next time you go apologize to him yourself then."

_(Hey!)_


	3. Late Night Interruptions

Chapter 3- Late Night Interruptions

Rex yawned and opened his eyes groggily. It felt good to get a good night's rest at a proper inn after all the running around they had done in Gormott. But there was only one problem. He had woken up way too early. It was still dark outside, prompting the boy to reach for the alarm clock lying on the nightstand. Another problem then arose: He noticed that he couldn't move. His arm was being restrained by some unseen force. Come to think of it, it also felt as if there was a weight on his chest. A chilling thought then dawned on him. He was captured. Knocked out and taken into custody by…someone. But who? In a panic, Rex rubbed his eyes with his free hand, looking around the room. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness now, and he could now make out the familiar shapes of the Argentum inn. His helmet and the rest of his salvager gear were right where he left them. Ok, maybe he wasn't captured. In the way he was thinking, at least.

Rex looked down at his arm, immediately recognizing the source of his restraints. Pyra was sleeping peacefully next to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his. Rex stared in disbelief, a bright red blush creeping over his face. How did she get into his bed? His more rational thoughts told him to take her back to her own room, but Pyra looked so comfortable that he would regret doing so. Even so, Rex did not want the rest of his friends to get the wrong idea. He sat up, and as carefully as he could, he tried to remove his arm from the sleeping girl's grip. He had almost freed himself from her when he realized he had made a little too much noise. She was stirring.

Rex froze as he watched Pyra's eyes flutter open. He had to admit, she did look cute there, with her disheveled hair and her confused expression.

"Rex…? Wha…?" she murmured drowsily, taking a moment to adjust to her surroundings. "How…did I get here?"

Rex scratched the back of his head. "I'm trying to figure that out myself."

"I must have been sleepwalking again. It's a…bad habit that I have. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, though I would like my arm back," he replied cheekily. Pyra realized what he was referring to and released him from her hold, a blush creeping over her face. An awkward silence followed.

"We should get you to your room. Don't want the others to get the wrong idea," Rex said, getting up off the bed. He was right. It would save a lot of explaining, at the very least. But Pyra had another idea.

"Y-yeah…um…Rex?"

"Huh?"

"If its OK with you…may I, erm, stay?" She asked shyly. Truth be told, the Aegis was having trouble sleeping as of late. The nightmares that kept her up at night often revolved around the night they fought Torna for the second time, save for one thing. She was incapable of doing anything to stop them. She couldn't transform into Mythra. She couldn't protect Rex. The dream would often be cut off right as Malos delivered the killing blow to him. Unable to watch any further, Pyra would jolt awake. But maybe this night would be different. She knew that she would sleep better knowing that Rex was safe. "I mean you don't have to if you don't want to," she added, partially hoping that her comment would help her sound less needy.

Rex scratched his cheek, a light blush tinting his cheeks. He couldn't really say no, could he? "Oh…um…O-Ok."

Pyra scooted over to one side of the bed to make room for him. As always, Rex hesitated, sliding himself in next to her, the blush on his face still present. His blade resumed her previous position, clutching his arm tightly and bringing it close to her chest. Rex, unsure of what to do, simply laid there awkwardly. Pyra laughed softly. She guided his arms around her, hoping that he would follow. Rex seemed to get the idea, and instinctively he pulled her in close. Pyra hummed in approval and closed her eyes. Maybe now she would be able to get a proper night's rest. "Good night, Rex," she whispered, nuzzling closer to him. Rex squeezed her lightly in response. He had the sudden urge to kiss her right then and there, but his hesitance always seemed to be an obstacle. He knew that she wouldn't mind, but there was still a chance that it would compromise their relationship, and that wasn't something he wanted. Ever. But still, she was right there, curled up against him. Quickly, he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. He could feel her smile lightly against him. Satisfied, Rex closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. "Night, Pyra."

Pyra was the first to awake the next morning. The events of last night flooded back into her mind, and she realized that she was still in Rex's arms. Quite content with where she was, the fiery haired blade closed her eyes once more and cuddled closer to the sleeping boy. Pyra hadn't slept this well for a long time now, and she fully intended to enjoy the moment.

She was cut short, however, but a loud knock on the door. "Rex-Rex! Wakey-wakey! If not wake up, ship to Mor Ardain leave without us!" Tora was right. It was almost eleven. Pyra nudged her companion gently. Rex stirred, opening his eyes. "Good morning!" she chirped.

"Mor-yawn-Morning. You're in a good mood today. You sleep well?"

"Mhmm…I haven't slept this well in a long time….and thanks," she added with a light blush, tightening the embrace they were currently in. Rex ran a hand through her fiery hair, earning him a content sigh from the girl next to him. "We should get going soon. It's getting late," Pyra murmured, eyes still closed.

Rex released her from his hold and yawned once again. "We should…but maybe later."

"Rex, it's eleven." She smiled as she sat up.

"Just five more minutes…" he groaned, pulling her back into his arms.

"Come on, Rex," Pyra giggled.

"Hey! It's not my fault you're so comfortable," Rex retorted, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Pyra was once again trapped in his warm embrace. Not that she minded. Another sudden knock on the door caught the pair's attention. Dromarch and Nia were outside the door. Great.

"Master Rex, our ship will be departing in exactly 45 minutes. It would be wise to- "

"Hey Rex! We're gonna leave without you if you don't hurry up! All the good seats are taken," Nia whined. "Oh, and Pyra? I know you're in there. Having fun, aren't we?" She added with a sly grin. Both Rex and Pyra blushed, embarrassed at what she was implying. There was going to be quite a bit of explaining to do on the ship.

"My lady! That was uncalled for. Master Rex, we're going to the Rumbletum Canteen to pick up something to eat. We'll meet you at the Goldmouth Flight Deck at twelve." Dromarch said as he marched off, dragging Nia along and sparing the flustered pair any further embarrassment.

"R-right. I guess that's our cue," Pyra said.

"Yeah. Let's get going. You first though. I gotta change." His companion sat up and made her way toward the door. Before she opened it, she turned to face him.

"Rex?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you," Pyra smiled genuinely.

Rex stared dumbly as he watched the door shut quietly behind her.

_ I guess sleepwalking may actually have one practical use,  _ he thought to himself, silently hoping that this would not be the last time Pyra would spend the night next to him.


	4. Insecurities

Chapter 4- Insecurities

Fonsett Village was as calm and undisturbed as Rex had remembered. Even as tensions rose between Uraya and Mor Ardain, Leftheria remained relatively safe from the conflict. It was the perfect resting stop for the group before their trip to the Praetorium. Indol was still some ways off, but they could spare some time to wind down for a bit, especially with all the commotion they caused in the Empire. Upon his arrival, Rex was greeted with many familiar faces, albeit slightly older. "Rex!" they all shouted as they flocked toward their favourite salvager. "You've got quite the fan-base I see," Nia remarked.

"Hey Kirk! Kazuna! You guys really have grown quite a bit haven't you!" Rex exclaimed.

"Rex! You've gotta tell us about all your travels!" they yelled in excitement. A myriad of questions followed. "Can you teach me how to be a good salvager?"

"Who are all these people with you?"

"Are those Blades?"

"What's that glowy thingy on your chest?"

Pyra watched the spectacle from afar, lost in thought. _So, this is what it's like to have a family, huh? It's certainly very pleasant, at least, from what I can tell._

"This is quite the celebration Rex," Pyra smiled.

"Heh, these guys are the best!"

"My, my, you kids sure do know how to cause a ruckus. Give the poor boy some room to breathe!" An elderly woman chuckled as she approached the group.

"Auntie Corrine! It's so good to see you!"

"Rex! My, you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you dear! And is that Azurda back there? What have you gotten yourself into this time?!"

Gramps peeked his head out from Rex's helmet. "That would require a bit of explaining, I'm afraid."

"I see…well, when you put it that way, I don't really want to know anymore. What brings you here?"

"We were planning on resting here for the night. Do you have a place for us?" Gramps asked politely.

"Oh, come now. 'Do you have a place for us?' Of course! What's mine is yours. Come, I'll take you to the place." Corrine turned to Rex, waiting for his approval.

"Actually, I'd like to take go for a walk. If you don't mind, could you show everyone their lodgings while I'm gone?"

Corrine gave him a knowing look. "All right then. Just be back before lunchtime, OK?"

Rex nodded. "Pyra?"

"Huh?"

"Could you come with me?"

"O-oh. Um, all right."

The couple watched their friends leave in silence. "Rex? Where are we headed?" Pyra finally asked, curious as to why he had only asked for her to join him. Rex took a few steps forward and turned to face her. "I'll tell you when we get there," he said, offering her his hand. A little too eagerly, she accepted his offer and placed her hand in his. It was soft, and even with the glove on, Pyra could feel the warmth radiating from underneath. "Well? Shall we?" she asked. Rex nodded and led her down the path to what he knew would lead them to his parents' final resting place.

The pair paused as they approached the cemetery. After a moment of silence, Pyra spoke up. "Where are we?"

The young salvager turned to look at her, his face now solemn. "These…are my parent's graves. I guess…I never told you about myself. I was an orphan for most of my younger years. Taken in by Auntie Corrine and raised here in Fonsett. I guess…maybe I thought people would think less of me if they knew. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Pyra squeezed his hand gently. "No, it's all right. I understand why you wouldn't want to talk about it."

"I hardly even knew my parents. Auntie Corrine told me that they died when I was just a kid. Still, I wanted you to meet them. I feel that it would only be right."

"Meet them? What do you mean?"

Rex nodded and took a few steps forward, kneeling in front of his parent's graves. Pyra followed suite and kneeled next to him, their hands still laced together. "Hey Mum, Dad. It's been a while. A lot has happened, you know. I became a Driver! And this girl with me…is Pyra, my new partner…I made a promise, guys. Pyra saved my life. I owe her one, so I'm going to take her to her home in Elysium. I don't know what lies ahead…but I know that you'll be watching over us."

A peaceful silence overcame the two as they paid their respects. Rex was the first to rise. "Pyra? You know where the lodgings are, right?"

"I think so. I saw them on the way here."

"All right. You go on ahead; I'll catch up later," he said, releasing her hand reluctantly.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. I just need to talk about some private things with Mum and Dad."

"Oh…OK. Don't be too long. It's almost lunchtime."

"I won't."

Once Pyra was out of hearing range, Rex kneeled once again so that he was on eye level with his parents. "Pyra's wonderful, isn't she? I know you'd love her. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Mum? Dad? If you're watching over us, please keep her safe. All of Alrest is after her power, and I can only do so much. I'll do my part as a Driver, but if she were taken from me, I…I don't know what I'd do. She means everything to me."

Rex stayed at the cemetery for a little longer before he decided it was time to go back. As he turned to go, he looked back one last time at his parents. "Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad."

Later that afternoon, everyone gathered to Corrine's for lunch. It had been a while since they had eaten a proper meal after all. And at a proper resting place too. After lunch, Rex decided to go outside and talk to the kids. They had grown quite a bit since he had last seen them, and there was going to be a lot of catching up to do. Pyra stayed behind, opting instead to help Corrine clean up the dishes.

"I'm sorry for causing you this trouble dear," Corrine said whilst scrubbing a dirty plate.

"No, it's Ok! I like helping in the kitchen, and there are a few things I want to ask you anyway," Pyra said with a warm smile.

"You're a dear. Rex is lucky to have you."

"Huh? Oh, um I-it's not like that. I'm just his Blade," Pyra replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You know a lot of Drivers and Blades get married in the old stories, right?"

Pyra could feel a light blush creeping over her cheeks. "U-um…"

Corrine laughed lightly. "You're cute when you're flustered. But yes, where were we? You said you had some questions for me?"

After the dishes were washed and put away, Corrine led Pyra to a wooden table outside the house and took a seat. "Well? What did you want to ask?"

The Aegis took a few moments to collect her thoughts. "Rex…He took me to see his parents today, and I'd like to learn a bit more about them, if that's all right. He said he was very young when they passed away, so I thought you would know something."

"Well dear, I only knew Rex's mother for a brief time before she passed away. She was a gentle, kind-hearted soul, very much like you. We found her, and a young Rex one day washed up on the shore of our island. Could barely walk, the poor thing. We got her to the village as quickly as possible, but it was too late. She told us to take care of her son, and those became her last words. As for the father, we found his body on a nearby island. He was so close, but in the end, he too, did not make it. He was buried next to mom the next day."

"…How awful…"

Pyra knew that parting was always difficult, but at this early age? And his parents no less. Though she had no parents to call her own, she understood that they meant a lot to a growing child. But Rex did not have that privilege. And even through all of that, he kept his chin up and remained optimistic. There was a lot that she could learn from him. The Blade was shaken out of her thoughts by the sounds of faint sniffling from the older woman. Corrine had begun to sob as she was telling her story, unbeknownst to Pyra.

"That boy has suffered enough loss. He became a salvager for that reason, you know? Rex wanted to find Elysium so that others would not have to suffer as much as he did. If people could live in peace, and without worry, he had to prove that it existed. I…I just want that boy to be happy; he's gone through so much."

"…" Pyra's heart broke as she heard those words. Rex had undergone much hardship, and her being with him would cause even more. Everyone was after them; the hostilities never seemed to cease. Maybe he would be better off without her. Maybe the Aegis was nothing more than a hindrance to Alrest itself.

"In that case…maybe I should no longer be by Rex's side," she spoke in a barely audible tone, holding back the tears.

Corrine looked up at Pyra, confusion written all over her face. "Why? Are you not fond of him?"

"Oh, I am. But with me here, he'll suffer even more, lose even more. My feelings for him cannot deny reality. He'll be…better off without me. Rex, and the whole world…they don't need me," she choked out, averting the older woman's gaze.

Corrine stood up and made her way over to the Aegis, kneeling so that she was on eye level with her. "Pyra dear…I don't know what you've been through, but I do know this. You mean everything to that boy. I could tell by the way he looked at you, and how he spoke so highly of you in the letters that he sent home. I've never seen him so smitten with one person in all my years of raising him. There's no doubt in my head that he would be devastated if you left him," she spoke gently, resting a comforting hand on Pyra's shoulder.

"But…the power that I wield…there's a reason why everyone is out to get us. Even I am fearful of my own power. Do you really think Rex would understand?"

"I do. You love him, and I'm certain he feels the same. When he goes through hard times, he has you to support him. The same goes for you. If you're struggling, let him know what you're going through. You can lean on him. It's certainly better to bear each other's burdens than to bear them alone."

"…OK…I'll try."

"Auntie Corrine! Mark got bitten by a Bunnit…again. Could you help treat the injury?" one of the children yelled. Corrine looked at Pyra and nodded. "Well, I better get going. That boy is always trying to study the flora and fauna here; sometimes he doesn't know when he's too close," she chuckled. "I'll see you later dear."

The elderly woman stood up and hurried off to treat her patient, leaving Pyra alone to think. Corrine's words echoed in her mind. Maybe she was right. " _Tell him what you're going through, huh?"_

_(Hey, Pyra? You all right?)_

_Yeah. I…just need some time to think._

_(It's about Rex, isn't it?)_

_Mythra…_

_(She's right you know? You can talk to him about it. Rex isn't the type of guy to turn a blind eye to someone he loves.)_

_How am I the only one who can't see his feelings towards me?_

_(Well…you are a bit dense Pyra. I mean, have you seen him when you're around? And all those subtle things he's been doing for you? I know that you guys are too shy to do anything since the Argentum inn, but still…has it really all gone over your head?)_

_He's never said that though._

_(You know you can love someone without telling them right? Rex is a little shy when it comes to these things after all, but his actions speak louder than words.)_

_OK, maybe he does. But that can't change the situation at hand. It's impossible to be in a relationship with him. Our very nature as an Aegis prevents it. And even if it were to work out for a little, it would end with him getting hurt. You heard what Corrine said. Rex has been through so much. I don't want to cause him further pain._

_(You're right there, I'll give you that. Our dual nature will also get in the way; I might eventually start to feel the same way you do about him. But Pyra, isn't it a little early to be wondering about these things? I mean, we're still a long ways off from Elysium, and it's not like Rex doesn't love you. I mean, He let you stay the night with him in Argentum, and you two were holding hands earlier. I've never seen him this bold before to be honest, but that should mean something, right?)_

_You usually aren't the type to be optimistic Mythra…_

_(Well, you usually aren't all sad and gloomy either.)_

_I guess you're right there. Thanks, Mythra._

_(No problem.)_

* * *

The next day, everyone gathered at Fonsett Arch to say their good byes. "Thank you for everything Auntie Corrine."

"Thank you, Rex. You're the one who's supplying us with the funds to keep this place running," the elderly woman replied. She then turned to his fiery haired Blade. "Pyra, dear, remember what I told you. Rex is a fine young man, and you can lean on him if you need to. Rex? Make sure you take care of her."

"I-I will," the boy responded, scratching his head in confusion. "What was that all about?"

Pyra gave Corrine a knowing look. "It's nothing."

Rex and Pyra waited for the others to get ahead of them, before the latter hesitantly slipped her hand into his. The boy looked at her, surprised, but his shocked expression soon gave way to a smile. Gently, he squeezed her hand, and the pair made their way to the others. Corrine watched the scene from afar, a smile on her face. "I wonder how long it'll take for them to tell each other," she mused.


	5. Jealousy

Chapter 5- Jealousy

It had been a long day. The group had finally arrived in Indol late at night, and thanks to Fan, quickly settled into their rooms. While Rex and the others took in the sight of the grand Praetorium, Pyra spent her time quietly polishing her armour and weapons. The girl had much to think about given the recent events, from learning about her Driver's origins to the advice she had been giving regarding her growing feelings for him. Pyra hummed quietly as she worked, making sure that her weapon was nothing less than pristine. Her thoughts drifted back to Rex. The boy certainly  _ had  _ been bold as of late, but was that enough proof of his feelings? It wasn't that she did not like his affectionate advances; in fact, she secretly wanted them to happen more, but when they happened, it drove her crazy, and she did not know if his actions held any romantic intentions. Pyra shook her head in frustration, trying to clear her mind and focus on the task at hand. They were still a long way off from Elysium, which meant plenty of time for her to express her feelings, she told herself. The Aegis was interrupted, however as her Driver opened the door to their shared room. "Hey Pyra!" Rex said cheerfully.

The startled Blade spun around, but when she realized who it was, let out a sigh of relief. "Rex! Don't scare me like that."

The boy gave her a sheepish grin. "Oh…um…sorry about that."

"It's no problem. What kept you out there so late?"

"Zeke was explaining to us how his theatrics help him in battle, and Nia was having none of it. It was actually quite funny to watch, but I got bored after a while and came inside," Rex chuckled.

"I can imagine," Pyra said as she continued to repair her armour. Satisfied with the outcome, she held it out in front of her, giving it one last look over. The Blade had to admit, it was nice to be out her usual gear once in a while. She had been gifted a handwoven sweater back when she was in Leftheria, and it quickly became her outfit of choice when she was not in her usual battle armour. Rex had thrown himself onto his bed, his salvaging gear lying in a cluttered heap on the floor.

"Hey, um, Pyra?"

"What is it?"

"This Addam guy…your previous Driver…what kind of a person was he?"

Pyra glanced up from her work momentarily. "Would you like me to call Mythra?"

"No, no. It's all right. I want to know your opinion. You said you only knew him for a moment before you were sealed away, right?"

The Aegis placed her weapon aside, giving Rex her full attention. "Well, yes, but I do know a lot about him thanks to Mythra's memories. He was a kind-hearted man who always looked out for his friends. He had his quirks, but Mythra never met a more genuine, heroic person in her life."

"…Was he good with a weapon?" he asked, hoping to best her previous Driver in at least one aspect.

"Addam was one of the most gifted Drivers when it came to swordplay; even Jin could not match his caliber. When a challenger would take him on, they usually lasted only for a few seconds before they would either give up or be taken down. Much of it was due to his Foresight, but according to Mythra, he could pull his own weight in battle without it."

Rex slouched back down onto his bed. "Oh…he must be really great…"

Pyra eyed the boy curiously. Was he…jealous? If that was the case, maybe she could poke a bit of fun at him. "That's what Mythra thought though. If it were up to me, I'd pick someone else. Someone I think is a lot better than Addam."

Rex rolled over so that his back was to her. He hoped that she would not notice his glum expression in this position. "Do you now? That's nice…I guess…"

"He's quite the well-known salvager too. Many novices often look to him as an inspiration, and in battle, he's a competent Driver and friend."

"…What kind of person was he?" Rex asked, regretting what he said immediately.

"He's a simple guy really. He's good natured and friendly, but he won't hesitate to fight if need be. He's kind, caring and pretty funny, though he doesn't know it. There would be no other person I'd rather have as my Driver." Rex would have noticed her light blush had his back not have been turned, but thankfully for her, he was facing the opposite direction.

"He sounds like an awesome guy…" Rex murmured.

The Aegis smiled as she made her way over to his bed and sat down. "Rex…I think you should know who I'm talking about quite well actually," she giggled.

"But I haven't met him!"

"Well, that's because he's you."

The boy next to her shot up, shock written all over his face. "Whaa?" He blushed furiously.

Pyra chuckled. He really did look adorable, sitting there flustered and confused. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

"I don't know! I mean, maybe you could've just told me that it was me, right?"

"But that would be no fun. Plus, I  _ did _ tell you," she pouted.

Rex groaned, upset that he got so worked up over nothing. It was then that an idea crept into his head. He laid back down, but as he did so, he made sure to rest his head in her lap. Two could play at that game, he thought as he smirked inwardly. It seemed to work, because upon glancing up at Pyra, he noticed that now she was the one that was blushing. Rex closed his eyes, a smug smile on his face. He was completely fine with where he was. After his Blade had recuperated from the pleasant surprise, she began to gently comb through his hair. Pyra had to admit, the boy had quite the disheveled hairstyle, and that simply wouldn't do for her. Many times, it looked as if he had just rolled off the bed, which wasn't far from the truth, but it still bothered her to a certain extent. She ran her fingers through his messy hair, trying her best to smooth out all the clumps of hair that stood out. Rex sighed contently, quickly losing himself in her touch. It was gentle and methodical, and gradually all but a few stubborn strands of hair stood up. Pyra ruffled his hair affectionately. "That's better," she said, satisfied with her work. Rex's eyes opened slowly, smiling warmly at his companion. His golden orbs met her ruby ones, and for the longest time, the pair merely stared into the other's eyes. Time seemed to slow down; each knew what they wanted to do, but both remained frozen in place, unsure of how to go about doing it. After what felt like an eternity, Rex decided to take the initiative and tilted his head up, inching his face closer to hers. Pyra could feel her pulse quicken rapidly as she hesitantly leaned down to close the gap. There was no going back now.

"Rex! Pyra! You guys gotta back me up! Nia thinks that removing my awesome mo—Oh, um…am I interrupting something…?"

It was Zeke. Of course it was. The pair split apart immediately, a bright blush appearing on their faces.

Pyra sat there, dazed. What had almost happened just now? Was he actually going to do what she thought he was going to do…? Mythra was right; he  _ was  _ getting bold. The Blade was too out of it to even register that Zeke was still in the room. Rex, on the other hand, was a little more than annoyed at the sudden intrusion.

"Ever heard of knocking?" he sighed.

"I'm sorry chum. I-uh-I'll leave you to it then. Just remember…no funny business," he added with an evil grin.

"Zeke. Out. Now."

"Hey!"

Rex's door slammed shut in the Zekenator's face, causing him to wince slightly; he recalled what he had seen when he walked in, and a smirk began to creep over his face.  _ So, chum…it's Pyra, isn't it? Can't say I'm surprised. You help me prove Nia wrong, and maybe I won't tell everyone about it." _


	6. Loss

Chapter 6- Loss

"What the—guys! What happened?!" Rex turned around to see his friends, suddenly on the ground and gasping for breath. Could it be…? Jin did not relent, readying his blade and rushing straight for Rex. Thankfully Mythra activated a Foresight just before the attack connected, allowing him to mount a counter easily. Or so he thought. Rex reacted quickly to the vision and parried accordingly, but his opponent was just too fast. "Gahh!" A flurry of slashes sent him reeling to the ground. Mythra, in turn, also cried out in pain, collapsing next to her Driver. Jin glared at them. "Pathetic. This is the Aegis's power?"

"Mythra? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I should be OK, I think. Rex? There's only one way we can stop him. We must match lightspeed…with lightspeed." She said, standing to her feet; her core crystal gave off a bright emerald glow.

"I got it." Rex's own body was engulfed in light as he charged toward his sworn enemy. The man who felled him once. The man who killed Fan. The man who caused the war between Uraya and Mor Ardain.

"You will pay for what you've done!" Rex yelled, bringing his blade down on him. Jin blocked his attack effortlessly, but by now, Mythra was ready. She leaped gracefully into the air, calculating the precise location in which to strike. Then, she signalled to Siren.

A blinding beam of energy ripped through the air. Jin barely needed to move, instead using his blade to catch the attack midair. "Wha-? How!?" Rex shouted as Jin swatted the blast away, as if it were nothing.

"No…I'm…sorry Rex," Mythra said in defeat. Not even the Artifice could dent him?! Their opponent remained void of any emotion as he warped in front of them. The Aegis could barely react, her guard easily shattered by the vicious attack. In desperation to shield her Driver, Mythra snatched Rex's blade and rushed forward. Her feeble attempt at blocking served little to help though. Another furious assault sent Driver and Blade flying backward. Rex's weapon lay broken in the snow, rendering any sort of counterattack impossible. Mythra was knocked out, forcing her to switch to Pyra. Enough was enough. The Aegis stumbled to her feet; she knew what she had to do.

"Stop! S-stop…" She pleaded weakly. "I'm the one you want…right? Leave him…out of this…"

"No! Pyra please! Th-there has to be anoth—Aghhh!" Jin stamped his foot onto Rex's head, immobilizing him.

"Jin! Do not touch him! If you do, then I will…"

"You'll do what exactly?" he hissed.

"I will…I will…annihilate myself."

Pyra's body was covered in a crimson glow as Siren appeared above her. "Well, well…this is a surprise…I didn't think you could control Mythra's Artifice based off sheer willpower alone," Malos remarked, still leaned up against the wall. "Jin?"

"You saw what happened when it attacked. I was able to deflect it with my power. Doing it a second time will not change a thing."

"Are you so sure…about that?"

Siren's targeting ray suddenly narrowed. The energy of the beam itself intensified dramatically, and parts of her body began to dissipate under the heat. Jin, once he realized what was happening, relented, removing his foot from Rex's head. "…Very well."

Pyra limped over to the boy and knelt beside him. "I'm sorry…Rex."

"But…Pyra…why?" Rex weakly replied. He could only watch as she removed the Omega Fetter from his bag. Pyra stumbled over to Jin, placing the crystal into his hands. Then, her vision faded, and she collapsed into the arms of the enemy.

"Pyra!"

"I thought you would be different, boy. As an Aegis Driver, I thought you would at least care somewhat for your Blade. But here she is, wounded so badly…and all you can think about…is yourself. In the end, you're just a childish, miserable fool," Jin spat, his back turned.

Rex's eyes widened. "Get your hands off her! I-I didn't get…to…I didn't get to…" But it was too late. Jin was gone. In desperation, the boy mustered what strength he had left and propped himself up. "No…Pyra…PYRAAAAA!"

* * *

 

"Pyra!" Rex's eyes flew open, his hand shooting forward. He looked around in panic, only to realize that he was in a Tantalese inn. His injuries were bandaged, and Mythra's shattered weapon lay beside him. Rex propped himself up, his mind still on their most recent encounter with Jin and Torna. What had he done wrong? He glanced over at the hilt of the broken sword. He couldn't protect them. Once again, he was powerless to prevent anything. And now, they had paid the price for his weakness. Rex reached over and picked up the blade, or what was left of it. He didn't even get the chance to tell Pyra, and the thought of never seeing her again drove him to the brink of tears. They trusted and stayed with him to the very end, yet what could he offer in return? Nothing. All he managed to do was get her hurt, over and over again. The boy shook his head, shaking away the tears that threatened to fall. Maybe it would be better if he wasn't by Pyra's side.

Morag was not one to stay up late, but today, no matter how hard she tried to, she could not sleep. Her mind was focused on other things. Despite her prowess and title, the Special Inquisitor was rendered powerless by a single Blade. The thought troubled her. The threat of Torna loomed overhead. She was the empire's finest; if she had lost to them, was it really far fetched to think that the Empire would as well? Morag shook the feelings of insecurity away. Maybe a walk would do her some good, she thought to herself as she rose to her feet.

Morag often found that walks were often the best way to clear her mind, but this time, it only caused further problems. As she had exited the inn, she noticed Rex's familiar figure standing there, a bag slung over his shoulder. It had been two days since she last saw him, and he was in bad shape at the time. His injuries appeared to have been treated, but they still needed time to recover. "Rex! You shouldn't be up at this time…and with those injuries no less."

"…" The boy ignored her, turning and walking away.

"…Rex?" She moved in front of him, preventing him from passing. "Rex, what is the matter?!"

"I…I'm leaving."

"What do you mean leaving…?"

"I-I can't do it anymore."

"..."

"When I became the Driver of the Aegis…her Driver, I thought I could do anything. I had this feeling that together, the two of us could pull off anything. But you've seen how things are. The more I fight, the more Pyra gets hurt. The more she gets hurt, the more guilt I feel. She's counting on me to bring her to Elysium, but all I've managed to do is harm her. I've…let her down. So…I'm leaving…she'd better off without me anyway..." His voice was now barely a whisper. As he spoke, the boy failed to notice the sound of footsteps approaching behind him.

"Do you really believe all of that?" a stern voice interrupted.

"Huh? Brighid?"

"Do you even have any idea how hard it was for her to leave you?!"

Rex looked away, refusing to look her in the eye. "…"

"Pyra is planning to sacrifice herself to stop them, and you know why? She thought that you would be better off if she were dead! You promised to bring her to Elysium, but here you are giving up!"

"You don't understand!"

"Oh, I'm sure I wouldn't," Brighid retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Brighid! Enough. There are better ways to approach this matter," Morag interrupted, hoping to soften the blow, but the damage had already been done. Rex's resolve had cracked.

"Brighid, I-I love her! If anyone would have a reason to bring her back, it would be me! But you've seen what we're up against. A Blade that can manipulate the ether particles themselves and completely neutralize Siren's attacks? How are we going to win with those odds!"

Brighid's expression softened upon hearing his confession. "You didn't tell her, did you…?"

"No…"

"But then…why are you giving up? Shouldn't a good Driver always protect his Blade?"

"…" His words to Vandham suddenly echoed through his mind. " _ You told me that a good Driver always protects his Blade. So that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna protect her. _ "

_ "You'll never get Pyra. She's more than just the 'Aegis' or some kind of weapon. She's a living being! She was somewhere to go, and I'm going to help her! I'm not gonna let you stand in our way!" _

" _ Listen, Pyra, she saved my life, brought me back from the dead. So, I won't die again. I've got to live, for her sake. Until we get to Elysium, at least. We can make it together." _

_ "Why won't you guys leave Pyra alone?!" _

_ "I won't forget your words, Vandham. I'll fight my own war, with Pyra." _

_ "We're going to Elysium, Pyra and me. I don't know what's coming next, but you'll be watching over us, right guys?" _

Rex was filled with guilt as the memories flashed through his head. He remained silent with his head hung low, unable to speak after realizing what he had just told Morag earlier. 

"Pyra is out there, suffering for our sakes. She went with them so that we could live. And we're going to get her back. If you wish to leave, then we won't stop you."

"No, you're right…I have to go. If not because of my feelings for her, then because it is my duty to her as her Driver. An old friend taught me that much. So…I'm going to get her back. We'll do it…together," the boy resolved, his confidence returning.

"Now that's more like the Rex I know."

"It's not like I could take Jin on alone, anyway. Thank you, Morag, Brighid."

The latter nodded, turning to go back to her room; Morag, however, had something else to say.

"Rex?"

"What is it?"

"Don't waste your chances. Tell her, all right?"

"Huh?"

"You never know when she is going to be taken from you. If you wait, it may be too late."

"Morag…"

"When I was younger, I did love a man once. But I waited, and waited, afraid that my feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. Eventually, the news got back that he was killed in a skirmish. It had happened without notice, and so quickly too. When word of it got to me, I was devastated. I had spent so much time with him, and there were so many opportunities I had to tell him what I felt, but in the end, he died before I told him anything. I realized just how short life can be; cherish the moments you have with her and more importantly, tell her."

"I-I will, I promise. Thank you."

"All right then, you'd better get back to bed," Morag said with a faint smile. Rex nodded, and returned to the inn, leaving the Special Inquisitor alone to think. She gazed up into the night sky, lost in thought. " _ One day, when this is all over, I hope I can bring myself to love someone once again. _


	7. And Thus, Boy Met Girl

Chapter 7- And Thus, Boy Met Girl

There she stood, at the end of the walkway. Why she did not come with them, Rex did not know, and that worried him; she was never the type to hide things from him. "Pyra? What are you doing over there?" he called out. The others stared mutely at the scene unfolding in front of them; they already understood what was about to happen, but none of them had the heart to tell the boy. The Aegis, with the swipe of her hand, collapsed the connecting bridge, preventing anyone from reaching her; then, she spoke.

"I'm sorry…this was the first lie I ever told you. The only way to stop the World Tree…is to use the last of Aion's power to destroy it. I need all of you to use one of those escape vessels and get as far away from here as you can." Slowly, Rex began to piece together what she was going to do.

"I get it. You'll deal with the World Tree, then come back, right?" When no reply came, he finally realized. Pyra wasn't coming back. Nevertheless, he had to be with her right to the very end. There had to be a way to get himself across.

"Hang on! I'm coming with you! We'll do it together!" He shouted. Rex broke into a run, rushing to the edge of the cliff as fast as he could. With all his strength, the boy leaped forward into the air, shooting his Anchor Shot as he began to fall. That seemed to do the trick, as he climbed up the other side to join his Blade. "Pyra…"

The girl stood in disbelief. He hadn't even considered Poppi like she thought he would, but she did not have the heart to send him back, not when she knew that these would be her last moments with him. "Pyra…please! Don't do this! There has to be another way. Do you know how sad you'd make us, make me? Please, be selfish just this once. I-I haven't even gotten to tell you…" Rex began to sob as the words left his mouth. Pyra, unable to stop herself any longer, embraced her Driver and broke down. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she finally spoke the words that were meant for him alone.

"It's OK, Rex…I…love you too."

The boy's own arms encircled her, pulling her in close. "Pyra…" The girl rested her head atop his, allowing her tears to flow freely. Why had she waited so long? She had waited until she was mere minutes from her death to tell him, and now, he finally heard what he had wanted to hear for so long, only to have her taken from him. "I'm sorry…Rex. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier…"

"It's OK. I know now, and that's good enough for me. Just please…don't go," he pleaded. From inside the boy's helmet, Gramps hovered out, trying to reason with him. "Rex, there are times in life when a man…must let go. If you love her, do as she asks."

"No…why?!" he replied, clinging tightly to the girl.

"Chum, when are you going to stop being a baby? She's the girl you love; you've got to accept her decision. That's what…being an adult…really means," Zeke added, hoping to persuade the boy back to safety. Rex turned to face his friends. They were right, but that didn't make it any easier. He glanced up at the girl in his arms. Emerald eyes met gold as they gazed at each other one last time. Pyra squeezed him gently before she let go. "Please Rex…"

The salvager wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded, smiling faintly. He then turned his attention to his friends on the other side of the bridge. With a heavy heart, Rex made his way to the edge of the collapsed walkway, readying his Anchor Shot once again.

"Rex?"

The boy immediately turned upon hearing Pyra's gentle voice. He watched in silence as she stepped forward toward him, unable to predict what she was going to do. The Aegis raised her hand to her chest, lightly tapping on the core crystal embedded there. In an instant, it dissipated, vanishing from her and materializing onto Rex's half. The emerald core fell into his hand, finally whole.

"The core crystal…"

Pyra closed Rex's open palm around the crystal. She stared into those golden orbs once more, finding it harder and harder to follow through with what she had chosen to do. In those last few moments together, she shifted her hand up to gently cup the boy's cheek, closing the gap between their faces. Timidly, she pressed her lips to his. Rex's eyes widened, before closing again as he deepened the kiss. Pyra could feel the tears well up once again; the guilt she felt when she made her decision began returning. Had she really made the right choice?  _ "That boy has had enough loss for one life." _

_ "With me here, he'll suffer even more, lose even more." _

The kiss ended almost as quickly as it had begun. "You'll be fine…without me now. Just please…remember me," Pyra whispered as she nudged Rex back to the other side.

"Pyra…"

The boy gave her one last look before he cast his Anchor Shot to the other side of the bridge, joining the rest of his friends. As Rex hauled himself up, he turned, hoping to catch a glimpse of Pyra, but the collapsing debris obstructed his view. When it cleared, she was already gone.

Nia watched as the boy clasped the darkened core crystal, holding it tightly to his chest. Hesitantly, she placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him out of his thoughts. "We have to go."

Rex mutely nodded.

Pyra stood before the colossal artifice with new resolve. "Hello there. I hope…that you'll help me…" Aion flared to life, gathering what little strength it had left to fulfill its master's final wish. The Aegis was quick to locate the self-destruct mechanism and started the countdown. Five minutes.

In a person's last moments, their most cherished memories flash before them; the same could be said of an Aegis. Pyra's thoughts drifted back to Rex. The person who taught her that she  _ could  _ be loved. That she meant something to this world. The boy had become so much more than the salvager she had met on that fateful day aboard the Maelstrom. "Rex…I'm so glad to have met you. Our time together was short, a fraction of my long, long years. But it's been warmer and brighter than any time before. You shone a light on my melancholy path, you showed me the way. Thank you for that, Rex. Thank you for that gift of light."

Pyra sighed in relief as she watched the escape pod carrying him eject out of the World Tree. "I'm sorry; after all the time we had together, I couldn't tell you. I was afraid; when I finally worked up the courage to tell you, it was too late. Soon, I will be gone from this world; the Pyra that you once knew will be no more. At times like these, I wish I were born a normal girl; life would be much simpler. Maybe then, things wouldn't be the way they are. But I'll hold on to hope, just like you taught me. I'll hope that one day, I'll return to see you again."

The countdown timer hit zero all too quickly. Aion was engulfed in a blazing inferno, the ensuing explosion ripping through the World Tree. Pyra's vision went white, her senses numbing. "Farewell…Rex," she whispered as her eyes closed. From inside the pod, Rex looked back, as if he had heard her. "PYRAAAAA!" he yelled, watching helplessly as the entire World Tree crumbled and fell apart.

* * *

 

_ Two months later _

"Auntie Corrine? I'm gonna go outside for a bit, all right?"

"Going outside? Sure thing dear, but remember to come back before lunch!"

"Got it."

Rex left immediately for his favourite spot in the village: a cliff that overlooked the entirety of Fonsett. Oftentimes he would go there to think, but today was a bit different; someone would be coming with him. The boy reached into his bag, pulling out his most precious possession. Pyra's core crystal never left his side; it was his last physical memento of the girl he had loved so deeply. Rex clutched it tightly as he arrived at his destination.

Even after it had become a part of this vast "new" Elysium, Fonsett remained quiet and peaceful. It was one of the many reasons Rex decided to settle down here. Nowadays, the boy had returned to working as a salvager, quickly earning a reputation as the undisputed "Salvage King" of the trade. When he wished to relive the thrill of battle, he could often be found assisting the Garfront Mercenaries in one of their operations. But sometimes, there were times that Rex just wanted to rest. On days like this, the boy found himself here, lost in thought, reliving all the memories he had made with his friends. After the World Tree's demise, the group's individual duties resurfaced; as a result, they rarely ever got the chance to see each other. Morag and Brighid were called back to Mor Ardain almost immediately to give suggestions for the nation's new borders. Zeke returned to Tantal and convinced his father to finally open the country up to international trade. Naturally Pandoria followed him. Nia returned to Gormott; unafraid to show her true nature anymore, she and Dromarch devoted their time to healing the sick and wounded, even helping to set up a proper medical facility, for which Gormott was now known for. Eventually, the news caught on that she was the one who saved Emperor Niall's life from Bana back in Indol, and the tension between Mor Ardain and Gormott gradually faded. Tora also left for home, deciding to help his father construct better, more complex artificial Blades to help those without hope of becoming a Driver. To this date, Poppi remained as Tora's masterpiece, the unrivaled best artificial Blade in all of Alrest; this was attributed mainly to her truly special ether furnace.

Rex smiled as the memories they had made traveling across Alrest flashed through his mind. The salvager seated himself under the shade of a nearby tree, before turning his attention back to the crystal in his palm. "Hey Pyra. It's been a while. A lot has happened lately; figured I should update you. Thanks to the steady influx of tourists, Leftheria is finally a bit more developed. We're currently raising funds for the construction of a new school over past the cemetery. It's going to be great!"

He continued to speak, oblivious to the faint glow that Pyra's core crystal suddenly gave off. "I've gotten taller recently. I think I'm taller than you now; it'll be fun to tease you about it when you come back. Auntie Corrine told me I was on a growth spurt, so she didn't mind making all those extra dishes. I gave her your recipe book; hope you don't mind. Corrine is good, but not quite good enough to top you in the food department yet."

Rex glanced down at the core crystal momentarily. That was strange. Since when did the crystal regain its colour? Were his eyes deceiving him? Quickly, the boy shrugged the feeling off. Wishful thinking probably. After all, this was the place that he was most prone to daydreaming. "I miss you Pyra. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. I know it is possible to reawaken you once the colour returns, but if that happens, your memory will be erased. I don't want you to forget me. I always held on to hope that Aegises were different, and they could retain their memories. But If they are truly gone when I awaken you, that won't change a thing. I'll just have to get them back for you. I won't rest until you remember. Please Pyra, come back to us, come back to me." Again, he looked down at the crystal. This time he noticed it flicker, the emerald hue returning in full force. A blinding light erupted from it, shooting into the air. Could it be…? Rex shielded his eyes from the bright spectacle in front of him.

When the boy opened his eyes, he was sure that he was dreaming. There they stood: Pyra and Mythra. Rex watched in disbelief, his feet refusing to move. The girls shared Rex's look of confusion and surprise. For what felt like an eternity, both parties remained stationary. Eventually, Mythra was the first to move. "How are you still so short Rex? Haven't you grown just a little bit?" she teased. Mythra's demeanour softened when she noticed Rex's frozen state. She stepped forward, giving him a quick hug. "Thanks. For bringing us back, you know? I mean it."

"Mythra…you remember…but…"

"You know Rex, Pyra's waiting for you," Mythra said as she winked at her sister. She released Rex from her embrace, whispering the words "I'll explain later" as she nudged the wide-eyed boy forward. Pyra remained where she was, eyes slightly misty. Rex's feet moved on their own, and he barely registered that he was running until he collided with the girl in front of him. "Pyra…!" the boy blubbered as he threw his arms around her. He pulled her in close, nestling his head in the crook of her neck. The Aegis smiled. "Rex…" She whispered, nuzzling closer to the boy in her arms. The pair happily rested in each other's embrace; they had waited far too long for a moment like this. Rex couldn't have been happier. Pyra was as soft and warm as he had imagined, and more importantly, she was back, with him, and with her memories intact. Finally, he glanced up at her. "It's not fair."

"Huh?"

"You're still taller than me," he mumbled, half-pouting.

The Aegis chuckled and gently ran her fingers through his hair, earning a sigh of approval from the boy in her arms. Pyra clung tighter to him, afraid that if she didn't, he would vanish away, and that she would wake up to the darkness she had known for so long.

"I've missed you," she whispered.

Rex lessened the hug for a moment to gently lean his forehead against hers. "I know. I have too."

"Are you two done yet?" Mythra teased.

The pair broke apart quickly and turned to face her, blushes appearing on both their faces; their hands, however, remained linked. "I think we owe you an explanation," the blonde Aegis continued. "As Aegises, we are continuously receiving information from Blades that have returned to their core state. Their experiences, the battles they had, their strengths, their weaknesses. We in turn, relay them to Father, and he uses that data to develop stronger, more complex Blades. Because of this, we can retain our memories; it was a gift from a father to his children. But on that day, we did not want to hurt you by giving you false hope; we didn't know if we were coming back and if our memory of you would survive. If a Blade dies but is not returned to its core state, it is possible to keep its memory if it is revived, but the chances of that happening are slim."

"It was truly a miracle; kind of ironic, isn't it? We longed to forget, but when we were given the opportunity, we wished for the opposite. Actually, I had always thought of it as a curse. We had lived so long, and the memories I had accumulated constantly reminded me that I was alone in this world. That all changed though, when I met you. Looking back, I now appreciate our nature as an Aegis a bit more," Pyra added. "I'd still rather be human than a Blade, but I'm thankful that I could come back."

"Why you can remember doesn't matter to me. I'm just so glad to have you two back," Rex said truthfully.

"Rex? What's taking you so long? Your lunch is going to be cold!" Corrine's voice could be heard clearly even from this distance.

The boy looked to the two Aegises and grinned. "Coming!" Rex replied, picking up his bag and motioning for the girls to follow. "Well, that's our cue. She's going to be so happy to see you guys. Don't worry though, I'll fill you in on everything that's happened since."

Mythra gave them a knowing look before racing off to Corrine's, letting the other two have some time alone. Pyra shyly slipped her hand into Rex's, worried that his feelings for her had diminished in their time apart. Her fears however, were quelled immediately when Rex leaned up and placed a gentle peck on her lips. The pair smiled.  _ And thus, boy met girl _ .


	8. Blushy Crushy?

Chapter 8- Blushy Crushy?

It was supposed to be a relaxing visit to Argentum, and quite frankly, Pyra was looking forward to it. She had not seen her old companions since her return, and that was almost a month ago. Rex had planned to meet up with Nia and Tora a few days before, to catch up with how things were going. Naturally, Pyra went with him. Mythra tagged along as well, eager to catch up with Nia and her Blades. Upon their arrival, Rex was greeted by Tora. Apparently the Nopon had run out of cash yet again, and he was still a few parts short of fully upgrading Poppi. Rex managed to give the girls a look that said "I'll be back soon" before he was dragged off, leaving the two Aegises quite confused as to what to do. Eventually, they settled on heading upstairs to the Rumbletum Canteen, hoping that maybe they would catch Nia and some of her Blades while they waited for Rex. Luck appeared to be on their side today, for as the girls neared their destination, Nia's Gormotti figure caught their attention. With her was Kora. The two were engaged in some sort of dispute, but as the Aegises greeted them, all hostilities seemed to cease. At least for now. "Hey Pyra, Mythra!" the two said in unison.

"Um, hi! Were, we…interrupting something?" Pyra asked.

Nia was about to say "nope, nothing here," but, as usual, Kora butted in. "Nia was just going to hold an Argentum Monkfish. You know, that disgusting slimy fish? Truth or Dare, we were playing. But she wimped out."

"I did not! I'm just…erm…"

"Like I said, she wimped out."

"Shut it, you. Fine. You watching this?" Nia proclaimed, not about to be undone by her Blade, and asked the confused shopkeeper for one of the creatures. The Gormotti cautiously placed a single finger on the writhing fish. Unfortunately, her captive wriggled free from the shopkeeper's hands at the exact time. The monkfish flopped onto the ground, leaving a trail of slimy mucus in its path. Nia yelped in surprise and dove for cover behind a couple of boxes. The worst part was that Kora had a front row seat to everything that had just happened. Pyra and Mythra too, but it wasn't so bad; they weren't rolling on the floor in a laughing fit.

"Say Pyra, Mythra, you wanna join?" She asked after pulling herself up off the ground.

"I'm game. I've been dying for something like this," Mythra chirped; she was unusually happy.

"That's good. At least now I won't be the only target," Nia called out from behind the stack of crates.

"What about you Pyra?"

"Huh?"

"Truth or Dare. You in?"

"O-oh. Um, sure."

Soon the four girls were seated around a vacant table near the Rumbletum Canteen. "All right, so who goes first?" Kora asked.

"I will. Truth or Dare, Kora," Nia deadpanned.

"Truth," The Blade replied, a smug smile on her face.

"Tch, fine. Let me think. Um…which do you prefer, Wulfric or Newt?"

"Wulfric."

"Really?!"

"Well, to be honest, I would pick neither if I had the choice, but Wulfric's a bit better. Newt acts like a stuck-up know it all when it comes to battle. Like if I slip up in battle once, she'll put me through an hour of training exercises, all the while judging my every single move. Seriously, it's the worst. At least Wulfric won't give me an earful for missing _one_ attack."

"Fair enough, though I suppose Newt actually does know it all when it comes to battle."

Nia had to admit, she was a little disappointed that Kora had chosen truth; maybe Pyra or Mythra would help her enact revenge on her Blade. "Who's next?"

"I am," said Mythra. Nia smiled inwardly. If there was anyone in the room that Mythra wanted revenge on, it was Kora. After that embarrassing incident in Tantal, she was sure that Kora would be chosen. "Nia, Truth or Dare?"

Or maybe not. "Truth."

The blonde Aegis groaned. "You guys are so boring. Ugh, fine. What's one thing that happened on our journey that you wished you could unsee?"

Nia smirked, her eyes shifting to a certain ruby haired Aegis. Perfect, she wasn't even paying attention. "The one thing I wish I could unsee – though there are quite a few – is that one time when Pyra tried to be 'Blushy-Crushy' for Rex."

Pyra's head spun around instantly. "Nia!"

Nia continued on, ignoring the other girl's pleas for her to stop. "Yeah. Sometimes I really wish I wasn't there when she tried that. She spent so much time trying to perfect it to, thinking it would help her relationship with Rex."

"What's a Blushy-Crushy?" asked Kora.

"Oh right, I hadn't yet awakened you at that time. We had just arrived in Garfront, and we were all winding down for the night. Rex was out talking with Vandham, so it was only me, Pyra and Tora. That was when Tora introduced us to Blushy-Crushy. Some weird form of Nopon courtship. Pyra thought it was a good idea to try it on Rex, so she spent the entire night trying to master the art. The next morning she chickened out."

"Ugh, why does the good stuff always happen before my awakening?"

By this time Pyra had buried her face in her hands, her cheeks as red as her hair. "I thought we agreed to not talk about that Nia."

"Well, there are things that you can't unsee no matter how much you want to."

"I second that. When we had the same body, I had to watch every single thing she did to get Rex's attention, and believe me, there were a lot," Mythra added, noting that her sister's face sank further into her hands. "Anyway, you're next Pyra."

After regaining some composure, the ruby haired Aegis turned to her sister. It was time for payback. "Mythra, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare. Not many things you can do to make me afr-"

"Remember that dance you and Kora did back in Theosoir? Go to the middle of this room and do it."

Mythra instantly grew pale. "Wha? No way. Nononononononono. Pyra, what did I even do to you?!"

Kora sighed. "It's a dare Mythra. You gotta do it. You know what, I'll do it with you. Moral support, you know?"

"T-that doesn't make it any better coming from you!"

"Come on, get over here. There's fewer people now. If you wait, more will show up."

"There's still people though!"

Eventually Kora managed to drag the blonde Aegis over to the center of the room. "All right, now let's start." Awkwardly, Mythra began what she thought was a dance (it really wasn't), all the while shielding herself behind Kora. Luckily for her, Pyra did not explicitly state how long she needed to continue; after about six seconds, Mythra raced back to their table.

"What's the matter? I thought I couldn't do anything to make you afraid," Pyra teased.

Mythra glared at her. "Shut up. It's my turn now, right? Pyra, Truth or Dare?"

"Uh oh Pyra. She's got you stuck now. And she will know if you lie; she shares your memories," Nia remarked, motioning to Kora. The Blade understood what she was trying to do. "Yeah, if you pick truth, she just gets to reaffirm what she already knows, and we all get to know as a bonus."

"Oh. Well in that case, I pick Dare," Pyra said, confident that she picked the right answer. That was easy; she really was gullible. Mythra grinned evilly. "You never did Blushy-Crushy on Rex, did you? You spent so much time trying to learn it though. It would be a shame if you never actually did it."

Pyra could feel a blush creeping over her cheeks. "You don't mean…"

"I mean exactly what you're thinking. You're going to do Blushy-Crushy to Rex."

"B-but he's not even he—eep!"

There was Rex. At least she thought that was Rex. She could barely see his face; the bags he that he currently carried were blocking her view. Apparently Nopon had shopping sprees too. The pair's eyes met for split second. Rex flashed her a toothy grin, before Tora dragged him off once again. Of course he had to go about getting a bite to eat right when she was dared to do something to him. How convenient.

"Well Pyra?"

The ruby haired Aegis gulped as she rose to her feet. Mythra, tired of her sister's hesitance, decided that she would push her all the way to Rex if she needed to. Which is exactly what she did. "Hey Rex!" The salvager turned around, confused as to why Mythra was pushing Pyra toward him. "Pyra has something to say to you," she said, before turning heel and joining the others.

Rex looked up at the ruby-haired Aegis, puzzled and slightly worried. "Pyra? Is something wrong?" He was quick to notice that she was unusually red, but he couldn't guess why.

"M-Mr. Rex, sir! Pyra is…erm…B-blushy-Crushy. Just for you?" Pyra stammered, her face turning a darker shade of scarlet with each word.

"H-huh?"

Tora peeped his head out from behind Rex and let out a long sigh.

"Friend Pyra still not get it after this long time? Tora give up long ago."

Rex could feel his cheeks begin to heat up once he began to realize what his Blade had just said. "U-um, what did you just say?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

Pyra wished the ground would swallow her up; when that didn't work, she resorted to hiding her face behind her hands, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "It was a dare, Ok? I'm sorry if that was a bit…weird."

The boy gave her a sympathetic smile as he watched her continue to try to cover her increasingly red face.

"Tora think Pyra did well. Only next time need less stutt—meh meh?" The Nopon looked up just in time to see the bags that Rex was carrying for him crash onto his face. "Meh meh meh!"

Pyra did not register the familiar warmth around her until about a minute after. Upon seeing herself in his arms, she let out a light squeak, but she quickly relaxed into the embrace, burying her face into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that—I mean I did, but I would rather tell you in a way that normal people understand."

"I really didn't mind it, you know? I already know how you feel. It was just…a bit sudden. Surprised me; that's all," Rex replied as he rubbed her back.

Eventually the pair broke apart, and Rex turned to pick up the bags he had dropped onto Tora. His crafty friend had other plans though. "Rex-Rex drop precious materials onto Tora's face! Tora demand compensation. Will use another 70,000G."

"Hey I'm the one with the wallet, furball. Though I could lend a bit more as an apology."

Satisfied, the Nopon beamed at him and dashed off for the nearest shop. Knowing him, he would probably want the most expensive item on the market.

"You wanna come Pyra? We could go shopping once we're done with Tora."

"Huh? O-oh…I'd…like that."

"All right. Come on," Rex said as he offered her his hand. Pyra consented, gingerly slipping her hand into his. As they headed off, the ruby-haired Aegis turned to her Driver and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thanks Rex."

He chuckled. "I could get used to that."

* * *

 

"Well, I think the lovebirds gave us more than we bargained for," said a voice from behind a certain stack of crates.

"Maybe we were a little too hard on her."

"Uh…you guys do realize that we just lost our most gullible Truth or Dare player?"

The three girls sighed in unison. "Oh…"


	9. Reading

Chapter 9- Reading

Things just didn't seem to go right today for Rex. He had volunteered to be a substitute teacher at the Azure Schoolhouse, assuming it would be just a regular afternoon. He couldn't have been more wrong. The students would ask questions he didn't know the answers to; when he was chosen to demonstrate what a salvager does for a living, he hauled up a monster and scared the life out of the spectators, and to top it all off, it was now raining. The boy sighed. Well, at least dinner was good. Did he really tell the principal that he would be doing this for another two days? He would have to look at the source material tonight and prepare another lesson. One problem though. He couldn't read.

Rex flung open the door to Corrine's house and dragged himself over to his room. It appeared that Corrine herself was out helping the children again, and he knew Pyra was out getting groceries. The boy plopped down on his seat, laying a small book out in front of him. "Monado" it was called. Unfortunately, that was the extent of his reading skills, and he only managed to make out what the title said because a student told him. The salvager slumped down into his chair. "I don't even know what the lesson planner says." How in the world was he going to do this?

His answer came in the form of a certain ruby-haired Aegis. Pyra entered Rex's room quietly after she had put aside her bags of fresh produce. The boy was too deep in thought to notice her, at least until she slipped her arms around him, hugging him from behind. Rex inhaled sharply, only relaxing once he realized who his captor was. Pyra's outbursts of affection were something that he had to get used to, not that he minded; actually, he rather enjoyed it. "Welcome back," the boy said as he craned his head back to lean against her. It was funny to him; no matter how bogged down he was, Pyra always managed to set his mind at ease.

"What are you up to?"

"Well um…I kinda got some trouble…again."

Pyra rolled her eyes playfully. "I leave you alone for a few minutes and this is what happens?"

"I didn't get into trouble, but I'm in trouble. I'm substituting for the history teacher at the Azure Schoolhouse. I think I'm supposed to have the children read through this book and have them answer the questions at the end of each chapter, but erm…I sorta…can't read…at all."

The ruby haired Aegis let go of him, confusion written all over her face. "You know you could have asked," she chided gently.

"Well…when we were travelling there were always more important things to consider. It wasn't a big problem."

"You have a point there. Wait…I know!"

"Huh?"

The ruby-haired Aegis sat down in the empty seat next to him. "I'll read it out loud for you. You mark down any important points."

The salvager smiled.  _ Always eager to help, aren't you? Kinda reminds me of me.  _ "Sounds good."

The pair settled down at Rex's desk and began to flip through the pages of the book. It was ancient, but it was so influential in shaping modern Alrest literature that the school decided to have the students study an abridged version.

"Long ago, the world was nothing more than an endless sea cloaked in a boundless sky, reaching as far as could possibly be imagined. Then two great titans came into existence. The Bionis, and the Mechonis. The titans were locked in a timeless battle. Until at last…only their lifeless corpses remained.

Eons have passed. Now, our world, this vast land stretching across the remains of the Bionis, is under attack from a relentless force known as the Mechon."

Rex quickly jotted down the points he wanted to address to the class. As he continued to write, his eyelids grew increasingly heavy, to the point that his head was now resting on Pyra's shoulder. She didn't seem to mind; it appeared that she was too engrossed in the book to have noticed. The salvager eventually dropped the pencil and set aside his notes, before snuggling closer to her. Pyra was a fire Blade after all, and the warmth she offered him was quite welcome. Unconsciously, she draped an arm around the boy and pulled him closer to her, allowing him to fully enjoy her body heat and drift off to sleep.

"The breeze feels so good."

"Yeah. I'd forgotten what it feels like. I never thought it could be so quiet here."

"You're spending too much time with Reyn. You're getting used to all the noise he makes."

"Yeah, maybe."

"It's so peaceful. You know Shulk, I hope every day can be like this, always."

By the time she set down the book, Pyra realized that Rex had fallen asleep. She smiled, gently running her fingers through the sleeping boy's hair. They would have to wake up early tomorrow to finish up, but for now, she was content with letting him rest on her. The ruby-haired Aegis let out a yawn. Maybe it was time for her to go to bed as well. Eventually, she tried to wriggle free from the sleeping boy, but Rex instinctively latched his arms around her. She did her best to stifle her laugh. "Come on Rex," she whispered.

The boy groaned. Pyra giggled and scooped him up, gently setting him down on his bed. Unfortunately, Rex was shaken awake in the process.  _ Titan's foot. _

The boy gave her a sleepy, yet grateful smile. "Thanks, Pyra."

"I'm glad I could help," his Blade whispered as she tucked him in. Rex managed to catch her hand just as she finished. Puzzled, Pyra looked up at him.

"Um…could you…s-stay for a bit? I'm a bit…cold," Rex asked.

"Of course!" Came her eager reply.

In truth, ever since that night in Argentum, Pyra had longed to rest in his embrace again. Rex's arms offered her a sense of security and comfort that she had never known since. After they had confessed, the pair had agreed to stay in the same room, but sleep in separate beds to avoid causing any rumors. Now that everyone knew of their relationship, they were free to be a bit more open. The ruby-haired Aegis quickly joined her Driver and slipped under the covers. Pyra buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Rex grinned and draped his own arms around her, pulling her closer to him. Gently, he tilted her head up so that he could see her face. Then, he closed the gap and pressed his lips against hers. Pyra squeaked in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure and shyly returned the kiss. It was short and gentle, but it was enough to convey their feelings. "I love you, Pyra."

The ruby-haired Aegis felt herself melt into his embrace. "I love you too, Rex," she replied.


	10. Mythra

Chapter 10- Mythra

"Rex! It's charging!"

"Huh?"

The bewildered salvager turned just in time to see the Aligo that was rapidly approaching. He raised his sword to block, but it was too late; the monster had already crashed into him, sending him flying backwards.

"Gahhhhh!"

"Rex!" Mythra yelled. Now nothing stood between her and the Aligo, which was already readying its next attack. Unfortunately, picking a fight with an Aegis usually never ended well for the opposing party; as the monster lunged forward with its jaws wide, Mythra skillfully leaped back and, with one swift slash to its chest, dispatched of the creature. With that problem out of the way, the blonde Aegis ran over to her fallen Driver and offered him her hand. "I don't know what's going on with you today Rex, but you're almost never  _ that _ clumsy."

"Thanks, I guess," Rex weakly replied as she pulled him up.

"So, what's going on? I mean, you seem really out of it."

"It's nothing."

"Rex. You were almost downed by a monster that was barely any trouble when we first arrived in Leftheria."

"Everybody has those days."

Mythra crossed her arms and huffed. "Whatever. But I can tell that something's bothering you."

"Nothing goes by you these days."

"Well?"

"I received a letter from Zeke a few days ago. I can't read, so I had Auntie Corrine read it aloud to me. What the letter said got me thinking."

Mythra raised an eyebrow. "What did it say?"

"Why don't you read it for yourself? I really only remember one thing, and even that may not be accurate."

"Fine. Where is it?"

* * *

 

By the time the two arrived at Corrine's house, Rex had already disappeared, presumably to help Pyra with shopping, leaving Mythra alone to locate the letter. She started at Rex's desk, rummaging through the cluttered mess of things. "What was that about people cleaning up after themselves Rex?" she thought to herself, remembering their recent conversations with Ahkos and Patroka. Eventually she gave up hope and left the room. The blonde Aegis was about to go outside and find Rex, only to find what she assumed was the letter lying on the kitchen counter. Mythra sighed deeply. "This better be worth it," she mumbled as she unfolded the paper.

_ "Chum, _

_ A few days ago, I stumbled upon an interesting discovery, one that I think you'll be very interested in. I was reading through a bit of the older Tantalese records when something caught my eye. I know you may think I'm pulling your leg, but I assure you I am not; what I discovered was that the Tantalese people once possessed the technology to transform Blades into humans. At first, I passed this off as fictional, but after reading several accounts of successful transformations, I went and asked Dad. He said that the technology was sealed away to avoid attracting unnecessary attention from neighbouring nations, but now that Tantal has opened its doors to trade, he is considering bringing it back again. I instantly thought of you and your relationship with Pyra. I mean, you guys are different than say…me and Pandy. She's an Aegis; she doesn't return to the core state once you die, and her memories remain. I remember specifically that she said that she wished to one day grow old and live together with the person she loved. What I'm getting at is this: you now have the opportunity to grow old together. Once you are able, visit me in Tantal; I'll fill you in on details there. _

_ Signed, _

_ The Great and Mighty Zekenator" _

Mythra visibly flinched as she read those last words. "He just had to ruin it, didn't he?" Still, the letter opened up a whole new world of possibilities to Aegises and Blades as a whole. They could live as they always wished. "What do you make of it?" came a voice from behind.

"Huh? Rex?"

"Pyra's still out shopping; but I ran out of hands to carry the stuff, so I came back to drop them off. Well? What do you make of it?"

"…I think it's fascinating."

"Not the machine, genius. I mean what do you think of Pyra going into it?"

The blonde Aegis went silent for a moment, contemplating the question. "I guess I'd be happy for her. If it truly does work the way that Zeke described, then she will be able to live the life that she always longed to live."

"But what about you?"

Mythra looked away. "I don't know. I feel as if it is my duty as an Aegis to watch over Father's world. Wasn't that why…I was summoned in the first place? To protect the world from Malos?"

"Malos is gone now. The world is at peace."

"But for how long? I…don't want to let Father down because of my own selfishness."

Rex sighed. "It seems like you think Pyra shouldn't go."

"I created her as a scapegoat. I created her because I did not want to come back. I created her so that I could run away from all of this. If anyone were deserving of going in, it would be her. I want her to live a life that isn't tied to being an Aegis. She had to deal with the problems I had caused; I just want her to be happy."

"You should talk to her about it."

"So should you."

"Yeah, I will."

Just then, the door creaked open. "You'll what?" came Pyra's familiar voice. Mythra jolted up and turned to the boy. "You're going first. I gotta think of what to say," she said in a low tone before dashing out the door. Confused, her ruby-haired counterpart, after freeing herself from the heavy grocery bags, slid into the open seat beside Rex. "What was that all about?"

Rex suddenly found much interest in the ground beneath him. He wasn't exactly sure how he would bring this up to her. "U-um hey, Pyra. What's up?"

"Stuff got too heavy, so I had to come here," she said cheekily. Rex chuckled and leaned his head against her shoulder. "You could've asked."

Pyra raised an eyebrow. "I  _ did _ ask. I asked for you to come back once you dropped off the first bunch of stuff at the house." The salvager scratched his cheek nervously. "O-oh yeah. Right, well…I got distracted."

"Uh huh. So, what were you and Mythra up to?" She asked innocently.

"Um…stuff."

"Stuff…?"

"A letter. From Zeke. Pyra…remember what you said when we were up in the World Tree? How you wanted to eventually be able to grow old and one day close your eyes forever?"

"Of course. I still wish it were possible. I would love to live as any human could."

Rex's lips slowly curved upwards. "That may now be possible." He watched as his Blade took a moment to digest what she had just been told. "Are you certain?"

Her Driver nodded. Pyra's eyes widened slightly; without warning, she tackled the boy, knocking him over. "Rex! Do you know what this means?" She exclaimed.

The smile on his face grew wider as he nodded. The two embraced. "I'm a bit concerned with how the thing works, but I guess we'll find out once we get to Tantal. The letter's from Zeke after all, which questions its credibility."

Pyra giggled. "Give the poor guy a break."

"Whatever. You should talk to Mythra about it though. I'm no Blade, so I can't really understand how you guys feel about everything. Plus being an Aegis comes with certain duties and responsibilities; I wouldn't know anything about that either."

"You're right," she said as she rolled herself off the boy underneath her and headed off to find her sister.

* * *

 

Mythra stood alone on the cliff where she had been reawakened, pondering over the recent events. The blonde Aegis' thoughts drifted back to the War five hundred years ago, or more specifically, the Driver who led her and all of Torna into battle. She knew what it was like, having someone to love. But Addam was long gone. Now that Malos was no longer a threat, Mythra did not know what to do. She  _ wanted  _ to live her life as a normal girl, but she felt a certain guilt whenever she thought about it. It wouldn't benefit anyone, and her immortality would be lost; she could no longer protect Alrest should the need arise. There was also the matter of Father. He created the Aegises; what would he think if they just threw away their life to live as an "inferior" being?

Meanwhile, Pyra finally reached the top of the cliff; she had caught sight of her sister's figure from outside Corrine's house, which led her up here. "There you are. I was wondering where you had disappeared off to," she called out. Mythra didn't turn.

"I assume you've heard about the tech in Tantal?"

"I have. And I've decided that I would like to use it. I know it seems a bit selfish, but you know how I've wanted to live as a normal girl for a while."

"Yeah. I've known about that for some time already. You've had that wish ever since our fight with Morag in Torigoth."

"Will you be all right with that?"

"Well yeah. It would benefit you more, and you deserve it more than I ever could."

"How do you mean?"

Mythra paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I mean, there's Rex. Your relationship would finally work out with you as a human; the person I love is…already dead."

"Mythra…"

"Remember why I constructed you? It was so that I could run away from this world, away from my problems. I don't think someone who does that deserves the privilege of becoming human. Besides, I would be better off helping out Rex as his Blade."

"You know, I really think there's room for more than one person. I'm sure we could get you into another; there's no reason to limit our options."

"But Pyra…we were created as Aegises. I can't just throw away that privilege for my own selfish reasons. I mean, you have good reason to do it, but me? I don't have anything going for me."

"But I've decided. I'm going to stay an Aegis. That way…I can repay what you for what you did to me."

"But Myt—"

"No buts. I know you're going to say something along the lines of 'I got to meet Rex because of you' or something like that, but that doesn't take away the guilt I carry, Ok? It's my choice." The blonde Aegis placed a comforting hand on Pyra's shoulder. "I want you to live as you should have."

"Mythra…"

The ruby haired Aegis, unable to control herself anymore, threw her arms around her sister. "Thank you," she whispered. Mythra stood there awkwardly (she was never one to express much physical affection), but a faint smile was etched on her face. Maybe this was the first step to making things right, she thought as she returned the hug.


	11. Finale

Chapter 11- Finale

Rex was thankful that Gramps did not become a part of new Elysium as other titans did. Everything seemed so grand when he was seated atop the titan's back; he could see for titanpeds. Flying was also a better alternative to walking on foot, but it didn't come without its problems. No matter how many times Rex visited Tantal, he would never be able to get used to the cold, especially at this altitude; it was at times like these that he appreciated Pyra being a fire Blade all the more. She offered him much needed warmth wherever they traveled; he could do without it on warmer places like Mor Ardain, but the salvager was almost never seen without her anywhere else. Thanks to their guardian titan, the two arrived at Theosoir earlier than expected, and for the first time, Zeke was there to greet them.

"Hey chum!" he called out heartily.

"Hello Zeke. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Rex replied.

"It has; in fact, the last time I saw you, the world was on the verge of total annihilation. Come on, I'll take you to the palace. We can talk about the tech on the way. I'm sure you're very interested, especially you Pyra."

The ruby-haired Aegis nodded eagerly. "How did you get such incredible technology?"

"Glad you asked. You see, when we were still under the oppression of Indol, we thought we could get away with refusing to send core chips; the king at the time knew of the effects that it would have on Genbu, so we didn't send them any for about two years. When they caught wind of it, Indol was furious; they retaliated by intercepting all our shipments of food and redirecting them elsewhere. Because we were isolationists, we did not have any ties to other prospering nations. Instead, we had to rely on the black market to supply us with goods. Eventually, the people began to starve; the price tags were through the roof. Almost all of them starved to death. The king could not bear to see the extinction of his nation; he finally resented and sent a shipment of core chips to Indol. But they said it was too late. They kept up their blockade, and soon, very few Tantalese were left. We had to do something; then one day, a couple of refugees, who had fled to Mor Ardain, returned with several ambitious scientists. They claimed to know how to keep our people from going extinct; the king, desperate to save what was left of the kingdom, consented. They got to work immediately, and the result was a prototype Blade to human transformation chamber. After several successful transformations, the king opened it up to the Tantalese. It helped to keep our people's numbers up, but unfortunately, it also caused tension between Blades and their Drivers. Many Blades, after seeing the transformations of others, desired to become human, but their Drivers did not allow it. Others, wishing the best for their Blade companions, criticized their fellow Drivers for shackling Blades to lives on the battlefield. At one point, the people took up arms against each other, but the king intervened, knowing that a civil war would only further damage Tantal's dwindling population. Instead, he sealed away the transformation chamber. It would only be used once the Tantalese had settled their differences, and once the nation was stabilized. Until then, it served as a grim reminder of how close we were to extinction."

"Interesting. I didn't know Tantal faced such problems, and I've been around for a long time," Pyra remarked.

"And I didn't know you were such a good history teacher Zeke," Rex added.

"Oi! I got bored when we were done saving the world and stuff, so I began to read through some of the older records we house at the library. I mean, who wouldn't be interested in transformation chambers? Anyway, here's your lodging for the night. Feel free to walk around; we've made a lot of progress since the last time you came here. Once you're ready, come find me in the palace."

The pair thanked him and settled into their rooms. After a refreshing shower, they found themselves on the couch. Pyra had a book open on her lap, and Rex was snuggled up against her. The ruby-haired Aegis stifled a laugh.

"What? It's cold in here, and you're so warm."

"You know Rex…I'm not your personal heater."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't mind if you were."

The two shared a warm smile, before finishing up with  _ Monado _ . "And so, their journey ended, and whatever trials were to befall them, they would face them…together," Pyra read aloud, before closing the text and gently laying it on a nearby table.

"Their journey was so much like ours; I wonder if that's what got me so interested in it."

"They even had Fiora go into the transformation chamber, but Pyra…I have to ask you something. After what you heard from Zeke, are you sure you want to follow through with this?"

"I don't know anymore. Do you think I should go?"

"It doesn't matter to me if you become a human or remain a Blade; I'd still love you."

Pyra's heart melted as she heard those words. "Thank you, Rex. It means a lot to me." After a moment of contemplation, she stood up, determination written over her face. "I…I'll go then. I'm ready to live my life together with you…as a human," Pyra said with a smile.

Rex nodded. "Then it's settled. We'll get you to the palace tomorrow."

The next morning, the pair traveled to the palace, where they were led by Zeke to one of the transformation chambers. "So here's the thing. Dad talked with several of his advisors and representatives from the other nations, and they all agreed to keep the chambers sealed from the public. However, the Aegis is a bit different. Pyra, your sacrifice saved pretty much all of Alrest. We'd like you to use the chamber; it'll be our gift from we, the people of New Elysium, to you. What do you say?"

The ruby-haired Aegis turned to her Driver and nodded. Rex gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm ready."

"What about you Rex?"

"Well…I kinda want to know…how long does it take for the transformation to take place?"

"About eight months chum."

"Wha?"

"These things aren't magical you know. There a problem?"

"N-no. I'm just worried. Eight months leaves a lot of room for error."

Pyra rested a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll be fine. Will you be all right though? You know, because I won't be there to keep you in check," she added cheekily.

Rex chuckled. "I'm sure Mythra would be happy to do that. But come back soon ok? Her cooking isn't and will never be as good as yours. Oh, and Zeke?"

"What's up?"

"Um…since Pyra has been around for five hundred years…when she comes out of the chamber, will she be…you know….old-looking?"

"Nope. Can confirm that since Pyra appears to be young, the chamber will attempt to replicate the age that she would have been with that appearance; if that wasn't the case, all Blades would end up looking like old fossils. I'd guess that she'll be around 16-17 when the procedure is complete."

"That's a relief."

Zeke watched as the pair turned to embrace each other.  _ You've come a long way, haven't you chum?  _ He thought to himself. Reluctantly, Rex released his Blade. "Be safe, Pyra."

"You too, Rex," she replied, stepping inside the cylindrical chamber in front of her. "I'll see you…in eight months."

The salvager nodded as the entrance to the chamber sealed shut. "Eight months…"

"Hey chum. You do realize that when Pyra becomes human, she won't have any access to her powers as an Aegis, right?"

"I do, and I realize that; but I think it's better for me to let her choose."

Zeke clapped Rex on the back. "A good answer. It's nice to see that you've matured quite a bit."

* * *

 

_ Eight Months Later _

Fonsett had developed quite a bit since she had last seen it; the town was bustling with people, and much of the buildings were being renovated to suit the needs of eager tourists. The girl progressed through the crowd, keeping an eye out for a singular figure. It didn't take long to find her; Mythra, however, was too occupied with telling a story to the visiting children to notice. "Then, when Malos was about to finish off Rex, I, the beautiful Mythra, stepped in to save him."

"Wow Miss Mythra! You're amazing!" her listeners shouted in unison. The Aegis folded her arms and smiled. "Thanks. I think that's enough for now though, kids. Your parents are waiting for you."

As the children left, the girl decided to make herself known. "I didn't know you were good with children," she smirked.

"Wha? Hey! I-I was just bored. Kinda a little," Mythra pouted.

"Uh-huh. Anyway, have you seen Rex?"

"I think he went to the beach with the others. I'm glad you finally showed up though; that idiot was starting to drive me crazy!"

"Heh, all right, then I'm off. Don't get too caught up in those stories of yours!"

"Hey!"

* * *

 

Rex stood atop his favourite cliff, watching the spectacle unfolding in front of him. After they had heard the news regarding Pyra's transformation, the old comrades, bar Tora and Poppi, (who had recently rediscovered the whereabouts of their grandfather), decided to take a break from their duties and meet in Leftheria. Morag, Zeke and Nia were currently gathered on the beach; apparently, they were having some sort of fishing competition, and none of them were going to back down. Morag was in the lead, with Nia following close behind. Zeke however, was struggling to get any at all.

"Come on, Zeke. I thought that all the traveling you did when you were younger would at least teach you how to hunt," Morag chuckled as she reeled in yet another fish.

Nia snorted. "Maybe you should jump in and catch them by hand."

"Oi! Stop it, you two. Only the largest fish come to the Zekenator."

"Well I think this one is pretty big," Nia retorted as she reeled in a sizeable catch.

" _ You think you're funny, huh?" _

When they both weren't looking, Zeke snatched the largest fish from Morag's bucket, intending to use it as bait. He cast his line as far as he could into the sea, much to the surprise of the other two.

"Eh, Shellhead? The fish usually like to live in more shallow water."

"Your fish do, but mine? Mine are magnificent, ocean going gia—AHHH!"

Zeke flew forward as he tried to reel in whatever he had just snagged. Witnessing his struggle, the other two rushed to his aid. "What kinda fish did you just catch Shellhead?"

"With his luck, it'll probably be a monster."

"Shut up you two! I-it's not a monster. It's j-just a really big…GAHHHH!"

Morag and Nia watched as Tantal's crown prince was launched through the air and into the ocean. "Um…Should we help him?" questioned the Gormotti.

It was then that Morag noticed the missing fish from her bucket. "No. We will let him be."

* * *

 

Rex was too occupied with the scene in front of him to notice the quiet footsteps approaching him from behind. By the time he perceived that someone was behind him, a pair of arms had already encircled his waist. "The breeze feels so good," she whispered into his ear.

Judging from her behaviour and voice, the salvager was easily able to guess who it was. "Pyra?" he asked hopefully.

Rex suddenly broke the embrace and whipped around to face the girl. After confirming it was actually her, the salvager rushed forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her, resting his head atop hers. The ruby haired girl, startled at first, but she soon melted into his embrace."Hello, Rex. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Content with where she was, Pyra gently leaned her head against his chest. The pair remained in pleasant silence as they held each other; the ruby haired girl was the first to break the silence. "…Rex? What do you think? O-of me, I mean."

The boy glanced down at her. (it appeared he had grown taller in her absence) "You're still the same Pyra to me; it doesn't matter how pretty you are, I'd still love you. I'm happy to say though that you're still as gorgeous as I last recalled. I also love how I'm taller than you now," he added as he leaned down to place a chaste kiss on her forehead. Pyra looked up at him, her eyes twinkling.

"I—Thank you, Rex. You haven't changed a bit."

Eventually, the two sat down, watching their friends down on the beach below. Pyra remained glued to Rex, who in turn, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. It was then that he noticed her hair. The ruby haired girl, after realizing that he was staring, spoke up. "What is it?"

"Oh, um…that…hairstyle. It's nice."

Pyra giggled. "When I awoke from the transformation chamber, my hair was long, like Mythra's. I remembered that you told her that you like the ponytail that our ascended form has, so I had it fashioned in that manner."

"Oh…well, keep it that way. I like it. That reminds me though, would you like to see the others? I brought them all here to see you,"

"I've missed everyone…so much. Are they here? I…would like to see them too."

"Of course, though with that outfit and hairstyle, they may have a tough time recognizing you," Rex replied as he stood and pulled her up.

"Oh…should I change it then?"

"No, no. I like you just the way you are."

"Since when did you become a charmer?"

Rex chuckled. "I think I just missed you," he said as he began down the cliff.

Pyra nodded. "Rex? Could we stay here, just for a little bit?"

The salvager turned to see her running to catch up to him. "Sure."

When she reached him, she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, before slipping her hand in his. "I love you."

Rex smiled before bringing the girl into his arms. "I love you too, Pyra."


	12. Otherworldly Fighters

The Land of Challenge was a truly remarkable phenomenon to Rex. A place where countless realms collided, and where people from across the universes could meet—it was a concept as fascinating as it was mysterious. Some of the team’s most challenging battles took place there, but Rex enjoyed the experience, as though he encountered many a strong foe, he also met many powerful allies. Even Shulk and Fiora, heroes from Alrest mythology, managed to cross paths with him. If that wasn’t enough, the loot that the Nopon Arch-sage presented them after each successful fight was of the highest quality; the team often made a tidy profit off of selling them. However, where Rex currently was could not have possibly been the Land of Challenge.

  
The day had progressed as any normal day would have. The salvager got up early at Pyra’s insistence; worried that she would become a burden to the team, the girl had asked him to teach her how to fight. Rex did not mind. Since he was still tied down to his duties as a mercenary leader, he rarely had time to be with her; training was the one of the few times he was allowed that luxury.

  
“I think you’re getting pretty good, Pyra!”

  
“Hehe…thank you Rex. I do miss…being able to just…sit back and support…as a Blade though,” the girl panted. Exhausted, she stumbled backwards onto a nearby tree stump.

Rex sheathed his broadsword and ran over to her. “We just need to work on your stamina a little bit. It’s barely been ten minutes, but you’re all out of breath!”

  
Pyra folded her arms and huffed. “Well…I certainly appreciate you Drivers a lot more now.”

  
Rex’s expression softened a bit. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. The ruby haired girl smiled gratefully. She nuzzled into his shoulder, content to just be with him. The pair rarely were able to see each other nowadays; with all the attention the Garfront Mercenaries were receiving, Rex was often called to many (often dangerous) locations. Pyra, now a regular human, had opted to stay behind, as without her Blade status and lack of combat training, she had no place on the battlefield. Today was one of those rare special days; Rex had been given the day off. Naturally he returned to Fonsett.

  
“A letter for you came in when you were gone.”

  
“Oh, really?”

  
“Yeah. The writing on it was a bit messy and it was all scrunched up, but I have it here with me,” Pyra said as she handed Rex a very crumpled envelope. The salvager quickly tore it open. The letter inside was very hard to read; in fact, Rex could only make out a couple words. “Pyra, um…could you…?”

  
The ruby haired girl nodded, allowing a small giggle to escape from her lips.  
“Hmm…I can’t exactly read the writing, but I do see the words ‘Olethro’, ‘Challenge’ and ‘problem’. It’s a bit too hard for me to decipher, I’m sorry.”

  
“Nah, it’s all right. I think I already know who this is from. Yuo was talking to me about an issue that kept popping up regarding the Land of Challenge. He’s been using it as a training ground for the newer Blades, but once or twice the portal changed colour and prevented them from entering. He wanted me to have a look at it once I had the time.”

  
Pyra frowned. “Do you think something’s wrong?”

  
“I don’t know, but I’m quite curious myself. What do you say we go check it out?”

  
“You have no argument here, but I am a bit worried. I’m still only learning how to fight, after all.”

  
“Worried I won’t keep you safe?”

  
“N-no. That’s not…that’s not what I meant…”

  
“You should talk to Mythra. In her time, both Blades and Drivers fought like Drivers of today do, if I remember correctly.”

  
“I…I’d rather not. Mythra’s memories of the past…they aren’t exactly the most pleasant.”

  
“Oh. I’m sorry. U-um, r-right then. We head out for Uraya tomorrow?”

  
Pyra nodded.

* * *

 

  
“I don’t see anything wrong here,” Rex murmured as he stooped down to look at the portal; Pyra followed closely behind him.

  
“Maybe the problem’s on the other side of the portal?”

  
“Maybe. I’ll take a look.” The salvager extended his hand out cautiously toward the entrance, but he was quickly stopped when Pyra’s firm hand pulled him backwards. “Huh?”

  
“I…I’ve decided that I’m going with you.”

  
“Pyra, you know how the Land of Challenge is. Many, if not all of the battles that take place there are extremely dangerous. You’re only just starting to get the hang of the things. I don’t want to put you in any sort of danger.”

  
“I’ll be just fine. You said it yourself; I was getting pretty good. I just need a bit more stamina is all. Besides, I’d rather go with you than wait out here and worry. And if I’m in a pinch, I have you to keep me safe, so there’s nothing to worry about,” Pyra beamed.

  
“You tacked that last bit on so I wouldn’t have a choice, didn’t you?”

  
When no response came, Rex rolled his eyes playfully. He reached out to touch the crystal once again, only this time he had Pyra clutching his other arm. The pair was engulfed in a bright light, their bodies quickly vanishing from the land of Alrest.

* * *

 

  
Rex was greeted to total darkness as he exited the portal. The warmth enveloping his arm indicated that Pyra was still with him, but he was still worried nonetheless. “Pyra? Are you okay?” Rex called out.

  
“I’m fine, but…where are we?”

  
“I dunno. I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Their eyes soon adjusted, allowing them to barely make out what appeared to be a long hallway; at the end of it all was a sliver of white. Cautiously, the pair stumbled forward. “My flames would have been nice to have right now…” Pyra murmured.

  
“We can work around it. See? We’re almost there.” As Rex and Pyra approached the end of the path, the darkness began to lift. The pair shielded their eyes as a blinding light suddenly engulfed their bodies.

  
Rex was the first to open his eyes. “Where…where am I?” The disoriented salvager quickly noticed that he was not in the Land of Challenge anymore. Unlike before, this place was all too familiar. It was the Olethro Ruins. Behind him appeared another portal, and out fell Pyra. Rex quickly ran over and pulled her up. “Pyra! Are you all right?”

  
The girl did not seem to hear him; she was too confused to notice. “My body…it’s…” Her gaze shifted to the emerald core crystal residing above her heart. “I’m a Blade again…but how?”

  
“3!”

  
“Uh, Pyra? It looks like we’ve got company!!” Rex shouted. A hooded figure appeared out of the opposite portal, hovering down slowly on his paraglider. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Link reached for the Master Sword. With his shield held out in front of him, the knight of Hyrule quickly adopted a battle-ready stance. “He doesn’t look friendly!” the salvager nervously added.

  
“2!”

  
Pyra hurriedly transferred a fraction of her power to her Driver, allowing the Aegis Sword to materialize in his hands. “I’m ready!”

  
“1! GO!”

  
In an instant, Link drew out a boomerang and hurled it towards his unsuspecting opponents. Luckily for Rex, Pyra was able to deflect the attack, and the two quickly closed the gap. Link, attempting to slow them down, opened fire and let loose a volley of arrows. But it was too late; Rex had already dashed forward with his blade held high. “Haaaahhh!!!” he yelled. Their attacker was sent reeling backwards, but the Hyrulian instantly regained his footing and countered with several well-placed strikes. Rex expertly weaved through the onslaught, deflecting his opponent’s attacks while preparing to mount a counterattack. As soon as he found an opening, he hurled the sword over to Pyra. The Aegis was much quicker on her feet; something Link immediately realized. Her attacks were unlike the brutish nature of Rex’s; they were swift, precise and refined. Outmatched and forced on the defensive, the warrior grabbed one of his remote bombs and lobbed it in Pyra’s direction. The resulting explosion was enough to throw off his opponent’s momentum, allowing him to once again gain the advantage. A powerful slash to the chest was all it took to send both Rex and Pyra flying backwards.

  
“That…was a lot less painful than I thought it would be,” Rex said as he quickly regained his footing.

  
“I noticed that too. Both of our attacks also seem to have blowdown effects as well; maybe it’s one of the properties of this place?”

  
“Maybe. Heads up Pyra; here he comes.”

Link charged forward, the Master Sword held high. Pyra lifted her sword, and within seconds her blade erupted into flames. The Aegis fired off several fiery projectiles to halt his advance, but the Master Sword made short work of them. The Hero of Hyrule lashed out, whipping his blade around at blinding speeds; to Pyra’s relief, he did not notice Rex behind him. The salvager flashed her a toothy grin as he fired his Anchor Shot. The Master Sword was wrenched out of Link’s hand, leaving him wide open to another attack. Pyra closed in and swiftly launched him into the air with a powerful upwards slash. “Rex! Here it comes!” she shouted as she tossed him the sword.

  
“I got it! Rolling…Smash!”

  
The sheer strength of the blow sent Link straight down into the ground. A small explosion followed as the duo landed. “Huff…huff…Did we get him?”

  
“Impressive. Such raw strength from mere newcomers. You two certainly have me interested now.”

  
“H-huh? Who’s that?”

  
“Oh, forgive me. I am Marth. The Prince of Altea.”

  
Pyra frowned. “Marth…I can’t say I’ve heard that name before.”

  
“How many of these guys are there?!”

  
The Hero King lunged forward at a blinding pace. Rex quickly raised his sword to block, but Marth was much too swift. Both Driver and Blade were launched high into the air. Their opponent did not relent, continuing his assault while airborne. Another flurry of strikes sent the duo spiralling downwards, straight into the ground.

  
The smoke from the ensuing explosion cleared, revealing an injured Rex. The salvager propped himself up on his sword, scanning the area for his Blade. He found her a ways off, collapsed on the floor. “Pyra!” he shouted as he scrambled toward her.

  
“Don’t let your guard down!”

  
Rex turned just in time to narrowly dodge a lethal strike from the Hero King. Unfazed, Marth quickly weaved around his opponent, knocking the Aegis sword out of grasp with a single powerful strike. The salvager collapsed onto the floor, out of options and out of breath. “Gahhh!”

  
“You must forgive me. I bear you no ill will…but it ends here.”

  
Marth stood over the defeated Rex, his sword poised to deal the killing blow. “It ends here!”

  
“Monado, shield us!” A protective barrier appeared just in time, preventing the Hero King’s attack from connecting and knocking him off guard. “Wha—you again?!!”

  
Rex grinned. “Shulk! Just in time; we could…use a hand here.”

  
“Leave it to me; you go and help Pyra,” the blonde replied. His attention then turned to the challenger ahead of him. “Monado, lend me your power!” he yelled, his eyes glowing blue. Marth readied his blade and charged forward. _He struck at blinding speed; all his strikes connected successfully. Shulk skidded backwards, taken aback. Marth capitalized on the opportunity to end the battle, using a powerful Dolphin Slash to knock him out of combat._

  
The blonde nodded inwardly and adopted a defensive stance. Marth moved just as he had predicted, only this time he deflected the attack, their blades clashing against each other instead. With his opponent’s momentum neutered, Shulk mounted a counterattack. The Monado was engulfed in a crimson light as its wielder rushed forward, unleashing a deadly combination of hard-hitting blows and swift parries. Marth did not give up, quickly meeting each attack with one of his own. The two seemed evenly matched, for the time being.

  
As the effects of Monado Buster began to wear off, Shulk realized that he had to end the fight quickly. Marth had already noticed this, intensifying the frequency of his attacks. With Buster completely gone now, the blonde was forced on the defensive for a short while, but an opening soon presented itself. Marth had lunged forward with Falchion aimed for Shulk’s chest, an attack that he was only barely able to evade. But in doing so, the Hero King had left himself wide open. Shulk seized this opportunity to finish off his opponent and end the fight. “Air Slash!”

  
“GAME!”

* * *

  
“Pyra! Pyra! Are you all right?”

  
His Blade smiled weakly. “Yes, I’m fine…I think.” She raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek. Rex closed his eyes, relishing in the warmth he felt from it.

  
“You were great out there. Just take it easy.”

  
Carefully he helped her up into a sitting position, allowing her exhausted body to rest against his. Pyra leaned back into his chest, content with where she was. “That was some battle. If Shulk hadn’t come when he did, we’d have been done for,” Rex murmured. “Hey! Shulk! What’s going on? Where are we…?”

  
The blonde turned to face the duo, the Monado already slung on his back. “My apologies. It must be your first time here I guess. Once every few years, heroes from countless realms are brought together to do battle in a massive tournament. Fighters are given strange properties here, and they cannot be defeated unless they are knocked off the battlefield; next time, try to knock Link off the stage, not into it. It would appear that you two have been invited this year, so allow me to be the first to welcome you…to the world of Smash.”


	13. Epilogue (Anniversary Chapter)

“They aren’t slowing down!” Gorg yelled as the pack of Olphen Jagrons began to pick up the pace. Rex continued to run. “We can lose them. They aren’t like Volff; they’re sprinters. They’ll tire out eventually,” he panted between breaths. They soon realized they had taken the wrong path however; with their backs now against a tall cliff, Driver and Blade had no choice but to turn and fight. “Look for the pack leader. If we take her out, the others will flee.” Rex said as he drew out his salvager’s sword.

  
“Understood,” Gorg said, before turning his attention to their assailants. “All right! Who wants some?!” The beasts surged forward, their fangs barred. The duo was ready for them, meeting each attack with one of their own; It wasn’t long before the pack leader was located. Rex swiftly fired his anchor shot at the monster’s ankle, holding it in place for his Blade to finish it off. One well-placed strike from Gorg’s Greataxe was enough to kill the Jagron. The rest of the pack however, upon witnessing their leader’s demise, lunged at the duo. “I thought you said they would run!”

  
“I thought they would!! Or maybe that applied only to Volffs…”

  
“Remind me…” Gorg continued, pausing for just a moment to unleash a torrent of water at an approaching Jagron, “to never trust you again!”

  
“Get down, you two!” called a voice from atop the cliff.

A blinding explosion enveloped the entire area where Rex and Gorg once were. Thankfully, Mythra’s warning reached them in time, and they both were able to narrowly escape the blast radius. When the smoke cleared, the Jagron had vanished. Well, disintegrated.

“What’re you doing here? I thought you were keeping watch with Yuo back in Garfront.”

  
“I save your life and this is what I get?” Mythra said with feigned annoyance. “I was bored. Perun took my shift. I wanted to talk to you about something anyway,” she said as she turned to Gort.

  
Rex crossed his arms and huffed. “We could’ve held ‘em off anyway. I was just getting to the good part.” His actions quickly earned him a glare from his Blade, which made the salvager quickly retract what he was about to say. “Hey! It was just a joke…”

  
“I’m sure it was.” Gorg shrugged as he slung his Greataxe onto his back. “Anyway, Mythra. What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Well,” The blonde Aegis said as she leaped down from her perch. “I was wondering. You’re some sort of dessert freak right?”

  
“Patissier is the appropriate term,” the Blade deadpanned.

“Right. Whatever. You ever heard of Miracle Parfait?”

  
“I believe so. It’s the one with the recipe said to have lasted since the Aegis War?”

  
“That’s the one.”

  
“To be honest, I only really know about it because one of Cole’s plays mentioned it. I would like to replicate it one day; it appeared to be quite the delicacy 500 years ago.”

  
Mythra smirked. “Well, I guess today’s the day.”

  
“What do you mean?”

  
“I may have been the one to have come up with the recipe,” the blonde Aegis answered proudly. Gorg glanced at Rex, who by now was already pale.

  
“I can see now why it’s called a Miracle Parfait,” the salvager murmured.

  
“Right…so what does this have to do with me?” Gorg asked, ignoring Rex’s pleas to stop encouraging her. He had not yet experienced the atrocities of Mythra’s cooking, and as a result was willing to give the girl a chance.

“Don’t you run a shop in Fonsa Myma?” the Aegis asked.

  
“That’s right. Just Desserts.”

  
“Could I…borrow your kitchen for a couple of hours?”

  
Gorg raised an eyebrow. “What do you plan to do?”

  
“To make the Miracle Parfait, duh. I also need access to a portion of your fruit supply. I have no idea how you managed to find Ruby Pineapples and Lactonuts, but I need them for the cake.”

  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa there miss. Those ingredients cost me quite a bit. How much are you looking to use?”

  
“Only two of each. If everything goes according to plan. If I mess up, I might need a bit more, but at minimum two.”

  
“…All right, fine. On one condition though. I need to be present in the kitchen if you’re going to use it.”

 Rex scratched his head in confusion. “Uh, Mythra…you know Corrine has a kitchen in her house right?”

  
“Rex. Pyra’s there too. If she finds out I’m baking she’s just gonna stick her nose in and take over.”

  
“So? I think your cake would turn out a lot better if she was there to help you.”

  
The blonde Aegis stared dumbly at her Driver. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”  


Rex recoiled slightly at Mythra’s change of tone. “U-um…forgot what?”

  
“Pyra’s birthday? It’s coming up in…oh, I don’t know. Maybe in two days?”

  
“W-what?”

  
“Yup. Technically it’s celebrating the day she first became human, but I guess it still counts; if I were you I’d be getting straight to work finding something. Unfortunately, you don’t have the culinary skills that I have, so it won’t be so easy for you,” she teased.

  
“Heh. Considering how many enemies I’ve downed with Pyra’s flames, I’d say we’re equal in the culinary department.”

  
Gorg stifled a chuckle; he could practically see the steam fuming from the blonde Aegis. Deciding to spare his Driver from potential harm, he placed a restraining hand on Mythra’s shoulder. “Say, Mythra…why don’t we get going. The ship to Uraya is set to depart soon. If we don’t catch it, you may have to wait for another hour and a half.”

  
“Ugh. Fine. When I get back though, you better have found a gift for Pyra, Rex.”

Rex often went to his favourite cliff when he needed to think; today was no exception, as once again the boy found himself lost in thought atop the rocky outcrop. The salvager took a moment to close his eyes, allowing the calm Leftherian breeze to soothe his mind. _What to do…what to do…Titan’s foot. How do you forget something as important as that? The bigger question is what am I gonna give her? There’s gotta be something I can. Maybe I could write her a letter? Or maybe salvage something real nice…or maybe…_ “Do you come here often?”

  
The boy was snapped out of his thoughts by none other than Ursula and her companion Beary. “Sorry. I was coming up here to practice one of the new songs I wrote. I wasn’t aware that you were here too,” she said meekly.

  
“No no. It’s all right. I was just about to go anyway.”

  
“I-is something on your mind? You look sort of…frustrated.”

  
Rex laughed. “Am I really that easy to read?”

  
“Your face was a bit scrunched up was all,” the Blade said with a small smile.

  
“I guess I am a bit frustrated. Pyra’s birthday is coming up soon, and I still don’t know what to do. Everything I’ve thought of would either not make it in time or would be far too little.”

  
“What have you been thinking of doing?”

  
“I’m thinking of writing a letter to her. Either that or finding a pretty salvage item for her. Some sort of jewelry. But it doesn’t feel like I’m doing enough.”

  
Ursula hopped off Beary and placed a finger on her chin. “Hmm. I don’t think Pyra cares if it’s something small. If it’s from you, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy. But if you insist on doing more, why don’t you do both those things?”

  
“I don’t know. The piece of salvage I’m looking for is most likely in Gormott, if the rumours are to be believed. It’s called a Snow Ring. I had a client ask me to find it once. It wasn’t worth that much, but the guy polished it up with his Blade’s help; He later used it to propose to his fiancée.”

  
“That’s really sweet…isn’t it?”

  
“Yeah. It really got my attention back then. I told myself that if one day I were to have someone close to me, I would do something like that. And…well, here we are.”

  
“Wait…are you trying to get the Snow Ring so that you can propose to Pyra?”

 

Immediately Rex’s cheeks exploded in a crimson hue. “N-no that’s not what I…ugh. I-I mean…just forget it. Anyway, now that you’re here, I got a favour to ask. Could you…um…help me work on the ring once I get it back here?”

  
“For sure! Though I’m not sure what I can do to help.”

  
“You’ll see. Oh, and uh, get Agate for me while you’re at it.”

  
“I can do that!” Ursula chirped.

 

 “L-like this?”

“No. Mythra, what are you doing? That’s not how—”

Gorg shielded his eyes as the kitchen was once again engulfed in a pillar of smoke. “Mythra, get it out!” he coughed. The window immediately flew open, allowing the two to get some much-needed fresh air.

“I…I thought I had it this time,” the flustered Aegis said.

“Don’t worry about it. I guess we’ll just have to try again. Mind fetching those ingredients from the storage room for me?”

“Sure. But um…”

Gorg cast a questioning glance at the blonde girl. “What’s that look for?”

“Well…we’re kinda down to the very last of the Ruby Pineapples. The Lactonuts are running out as well. I don’t think we’ll get another chance if this fails,” Mythra admitted sheepishly.

“Wha—How many times did we try to make this?”

“…Twelve.”

 

 

Rex was quick to locate the Snow Ring via the careful notes he made when he had taken on the client’s request. Once the artifact was safely recovered, the salvager hurried back to Fonsett. Thanks to Gramps, the trip back home didn’t take long. Ursula and Agate were there to meet him. “We convinced Pyra that she was needed at the school, so Corrine’s house is free for us to work,” Ursula stated proudly.

“Sounds good,” the salvager smiled.

The trio soon seated themselves around Rex’s desk, the materials all laid out carefully in front of them. “Well? How do you think we should fashion this, Agate?” Rex asked. The Blade held the ring up, her eyes shining ever so slightly.

“The mineral they used to create this is quite worn, but we can work around it. I’m sure I have something that’ll substitute.”

“If you want, I can create an ice crystal to go in the spot where the gemstone used to be,” Ursula added.

Together the three worked tirelessly on the piece of jewelry. Much to their surprise, the ring was much harder to refurbish than any of them had expected. Rex had unintentionally recovered a stiffer, more brittle one than the ring he had obtained for his client, but thanks to Agate, they were able to find a suitable replacement. The next few minutes went by quickly.

“It’s just about finished Rex. All we need now is Ursula’s crystal,” Agate called over her shoulder. The ice Blade nodded and closed her eyes, her body tensing slightly. A crystalline shard soon materialized in her outstretched hands. Rex watched in awe as the ice slowly grew. “I always find it so cool. You Blades can just create things, you know?”

“I think I’ve done it!” Ursula cried happily as she held up the crystal for all to see. “I even made it melt-proof!”

Agate patted her companion gently on the head. “That’s great! Now all we have to do it put it all together. Rex? Would you like to do the honours?”

 

( _Two days later)_

Pyra’s eyes slowly opened, her mind still not fully aware of its surroundings. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that Rex was missing. The ruby-haired girl let out a yawn, her gaze shifting to the broad rays of sunlight peaking in. Pyra smiled. “He has to stop letting me sleep in.”

“Should I go check? She’s been asleep for a long time now…”

“Would you just shut up?! She’s gonna hear us.”

Pyra raised an inquisitive eyebrow. She rolled off the bed and made her way downstairs as quietly as she could, her curiosity getting the better of her. Though she tried her best to remain stealthy, both Rex and Mythra were instantly alerted to her presence. “Happy Birthday!” they shouted in unison. The ruby-haired girl cupped her mouth with her hand. There on the dinner table lay an assortment of gifts, letters, and photos. A beautiful cake lay in the center of it all.

“W-what’s all this about…?” Pyra asked.

“It’s been one year since you entered the Restoration Chamber and became a human; I figured we should celebrate, you know?” Mythra said proudly. “Oh, and I made the cake. You can thank me later.”

Rex eyed the blonde Aegis suspiciously. “You what? Last I heard, Gorg ended up finishing it for you cause you kept wasting ingredients.”

“The key-word is ‘finishing’. I did most of it.”

Rex rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I um…I have something to give you too, Pyra.” The salvager paused to grab a package and a sealed envelope off the table. “Happy Birthday!” he grinned as he handed her his gifts. “Oh, um…please don’t read the letter right now. I don’t want Mythra to see.”

Mythra cast a sidelong glance at her Driver, her eyes shining with mischief. “Not for my eyes, huh? I guess I’ll just have to draw my own conclusions.”

“Hey come on!”

Pyra giggled at the pair’s antics, before turning her attention to the package in her lap. Inside was a small ring, pale emerald in colour. Adorning its center was a crystal-clear piece of unmelting ice. Pyra gently ran her fingers over its smooth surface. “This is…”

“It’s called a Snow Ring. I found out about it thanks to one of my clients I helped a couple years back. Um…do you…like it?”

Rex looked up at Pyra. Her eyes were sparkling ever so slightly. “It’s…beautiful…”

“I wanted it to be green because that was the colour of your core crystal when you were a Blade. It’s supposed to remind you of us. O-of our time together as Driver and Blade, I mean.”

The ruby-haired girl slipped the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit. “Thank you, Rex. It means…a lot to me,” she said with an adorable smile.

Rex blushed. “Heh heh…it wasn’t just me. Agate and Ursula helped out with refurbishing. The crystal was missing when I retrieved it, so Ursula offered to forge a new one. And Agate was the one who chose a suitable gemstone. Make sure you thank them too if you run into them.”

“Ugh. This mushy stuff is just not for me. I can’t even stand the slightest bit of it. I’m gonna die in here if you guys keep that up. Can you hurry up so we can eat?”

Rex and Pyra stood hand in hand at the cliff overlooking Fonsett. It had been a long day of partying and catching up with friends (who had arrived shortly after Pyra had opened Rex’s gift); now the couple had opted for a bit of quiet time together. The sun had already set; tonight, the aurora was supposed to blanket the Leftherian Archipelago once again in its natural splendor. With this in mind, Rex decided to take Pyra to his favourite spot to watch the lightshow together.

“Today was nice. We got to see everyone again, and though I don’t like admitting it, Mythra’s cake wasn’t actually that bad,” Pyra smiled as she looked up to the night sky.

“Yeah. I’m still not sold on the fact that she was the one who made it, but it was good.”

“Hey…about your letter…”

Rex gulped upon hearing those words. “D-did you…like it?”

“I loved it. You managed to convey everything I feel towards you without even knowing you did. And your handwriting…it was adorable.”

Rex sat down on the grass and let out a defeated sigh. “It was good until you brought that up. I just started learning, you know?”

Pyra giggled and found her place at his side. Their hands instantly found each other and intertwined. “This takes me back…”

“Oh?”

“Back when we were only just starting to get to know each other. After we fought Morag the first time.”

“Yeah…”

The ruby haired girl smiled. Gently she nudged herself against Rex, leaning her head against his shoulder. The salvager instinctively wrapped an arm around her and held her close. He was somewhat thankful that Pyra was no longer a fire Blade; he now had an excuse to cuddle her. The pair settled into a comfortable position. All they needed now was for the aurora to show up. And show up it did.

The darkness lit up in vibrant light as colours danced across the open sky, captivating the young couple. Waves of emerald and blue shimmied back and forth, illuminating the entirety of Fonsett with its colour. “What do you think, Pyra?”

“I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s…amazing,” the girl replied. When no response came from Rex, she craned her head up to see his face. He looked…nervous. That, and he was leaning forward slightly.  Pyra could barely piece together what he could have been thinking before she felt his lips on hers. Her eyes immediately widened before closing. With the initial shock now gone, she gathered the courage to cup his face gently, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. The two broke apart shortly after, red blushes both appearing on their faces.

“I…um…sorry,” Rex stammered, and Pyra couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s all right Rex. I quite liked it, to be completely honest. It may even be better than cuddling.”

As though it were to show him that she _did_ still love being in his arms, the ruby haired girl snuggled deeper into Rex’s embrace, her head now resting just over his heart. She could feel the rhythmic beating of the muscle, and with the boy’s fingers gently running through her hair, Pyra began to feel drowsy. “Rex?”  
“What is it?”  
“I love you.”

Rex squeezed the girl in his arms gently. He rested his head atop hers, taking in the sweet scent of her fiery hair. “I love you too, Pyra. And…Happy Birthday.”


End file.
